Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was born to Fermo Merisi and Lucia Aratori in Milan, Italy. His family later moved to the town of Caravaggio to avoid a plague outbreak.

To escape the plague in Milan, Caravaggio's family relocated to the town of Caravaggio, where his father worked as an architect and household steward.

Caravaggio begins his artistic training as an apprentice to the painter Simone Peterzano in Milan, where he learns the basics of painting and drawing.

After the death of his parents, Caravaggio moves to Rome to seek opportunities as a painter. He works for a time in the studio of Giuseppe Cesari.

Caravaggio completes 'The Fortune Teller,' one of his earliest known works, which shows his emerging style and skill in capturing realistic human expressions and interactions.

Caravaggio receives important commissions for the Contarelli Chapel in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, including 'The Calling of Saint Matthew' and 'The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew,' which bring him significant recognition.

Caravaggio creates 'The Conversion of Saint Paul' for the Cerasi Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo, further solidifying his reputation for dramatic and innovative religious paintings.

Following a heated duel over a tennis match, Caravaggio kills Ranuccio Tomassoni and is forced to flee Rome to avoid arrest and execution, marking a turning point in his life.

Caravaggio travels to Malta, where he is inducted into the Knights of Malta and paints several works, including 'The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist,' his largest canvas.

Caravaggio is expelled from the Knights of Malta after getting into a fight and escaping from prison. He flees to Sicily, where he continues to paint and seek refuge.

Caravaggio dies under mysterious circumstances in Porto Ercole, Italy, while attempting to return to Rome and seek a papal pardon. His body is buried in the local church.