"The Conversion of St. Paul" by Caravaggio

"The Conversion of St. Paul" was painted by Caravaggio in the year 1601, in the city of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome. Caravaggio was criticized and looked down upon by his patrons because his style involved displaying religious figures and events as ordinary events in ordinary places, using ordinary people as models. "The Conversion of St. Paul", for example, showcased Pharisee Saul simply falling from his horse, as opposed to the excessive amount of religious symbolism that would have been painted in the renaissance era of painting. Many people would scoff and insult Caravaggio's work, but he would inspire three artists who would later create their own styles based off Caravaggio's paintings. These artists are Rubens, Velaquez, and Rembrandt.