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Conversion Of Sto Analysis

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“Conversion of St. Paul”(or “The Road to Damascus”) was painted by Italian Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio for the church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome. It tells the story of St. Paul conversion. As we know from the bible, and St. Paul’s letters, Saul (St. Paul) was on his way to Damascus to prosecute Christians when he was blinded by light/ spirit from heaven. He fell to the ground, and the spirit asked him: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9: 1-6). Conversion of St. Paul took place in noon and on the desert so it must have been really bright and sunny, but on Caravaggio’s painting we see different scene. Background is dark, as if the event took place at night. Caravaggio uses chiaroscuro to emphasize St. Paul ecstasy. The servant and the horse are plunged in darkness. The artist wanted to get the feeling of contrast between light from the sky and ordinary background, which is dark. Caravaggio gave up painting God and angels instead he painted presence of God in divine light. There is a dramatic contrast between supernatural light and ordinary darkness. Paul young, beautiful and ecstatic persona is countered with very realistic image of a servant and a horse. …show more content…

Paul is in the foreground, Caravaggio used foreshortening to emphasize viewer on his character. His raised hand seems to be reaching to touch not only God but viewer as well. Everything is quite real in this miracle describing painting. Chiaroscuro transforms Saul into an Apostle St

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