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The Calling of Saint Matthew

By Caravaggio

Author Award for September 2025

Commissioned for the Contarelli Chapel in Rome, "The Calling of Saint Matthew" depicts the moment when Jesus enters a tavern-like setting and calls upon Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. The scene is both dramatic and grounded; Jesus, barely noticeable at first glance, points toward Matthew with a gesture inspired by Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam." The startled figures around the table are dressed in contemporary 17th-century attire, placing the biblical story in Caravaggio's own time.

This painting is one of three works Caravaggio created for the chapel, the others being "The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew" and "The Inspiration of Saint Matthew." Taken together, they form a narrative arc of the apostle's life, from his calling to his divine guidance and eventual death.
Year: 1599?1600
Medium: Oil on canvas
Location: San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome

Ownership Stats

Players with unframed copies: 10
Players with framed copies: 26