Painter. He was a late 16th into early 17th century Italian painter, who became known for his graphic paintings, which were often censored. He abandoned the established rules, which were used as guidelines for early generations of artists. He can be said almost single-handedly to have created the Baroque style. He was born Michelangelo Merisi, the son of Fermo Merisi, a stone mason, and his second wife, Lucia Aratori. In 1576, a bubonic plague outbreak swept through Milan, killing most of his family and leaving him orphaned at age five. In 1584, he contracted as apprentice with fresco master, Simone Peterzano. He left Milan as early as 1588, for Rome where he did piece work for other artists, but by 1595, he was selling his own paintings, including the then unusual subject, "The Cardsharps" about 1594. "The Cardsharps" is considered his first masterpiece. His work was noticed by Cardinal Francesco del Monte who became his patron, thus his work had religious themes. His graphic paintings dealt with suffering, death, and sexual overtones. The artist was quite prolific, known to work quickly, often completing a painting in less than a month, and for painting with vivid realism, depicting unusual subjects, every day events, as well as poverty, dirt, and blood with great detail such as "The Musicians" in 1595, which was a depiction of musicians rehearsing, and "Head of the Medusa," about 1597, which was a bloody depiction of a severed head. In 1597, he was awarded the lucrative commission for decorating the Contarelli Chapel in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome, producing "St. Matthew and the Angel," "The Calling of St. Matthew," and "The Martyrdom of St. Matthew." Known for his aggressive and rebellious personality, his stardom rose and subsequently, did the number of his appearances in the court records. He was said to associate with like-minded young men whose motto was apparently "without hope, without fear," as well as Rome's prostitutes and courtesans. "Martha and Mary Magdalene" and the surprisingly graphic "Judith Beheading Holofernes" about 1599 were completed with Biblical figures in modern dress, and for whom he used a live model, a method that would bring him fame. He also developed the technique of chiaroscuro, the darkening of shadows to produce stark contrasts of light and dark. From about 1600 to 1606, Caravaggio was quite possibly known as the most famous painter in Rome. About 1601, he moved into the palace of Girolamo Cardinal Mattei, executing several commissions including the 1601 "Crucifixion of St. Peter". He executed "The Entombment of Christ" in 1604 for the Oratorian church of Santa Maria in Vallicella in Rome. In 1605 he completed "The Madonna of Loreto" for the Cavalletti Chapel in the Church of Sant'Agostino. He finished "The Madonna of the Palafrenieri" in 1606, but a month later, it was removed from view because it was considered "offensive" by church powers. Later that year, his "The Death of the Virgin" suffered similar censorship. In 1606 he then found himself in a duel with a local pimp with whom he had long-standing enmity, killing him. The artist fled Rome, was convicted of murder in absentia, and a price was placed on his head. He secluded himself in Colonna painting, "David with the Head of Goliath." He then traveled to Naples where he produced "The Seven Acts of Mercy." He proceeded to Malta, where he was planning to join the Knights Hospitaller, which would include an automatic pardon for crimes committed. There he painted the "Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt with His Pageboy," the grand master of the order, who then petitioned the Roman Catholic Pope for permission to make the artist a Knight. When it was granted, he painted "The Beheading of St. John," for the order's oratory. His redemption, however, ended when he argued with, and wounded a senior knight in 1608 and fled Malta. He spent the rest of his life on the run from law enforcement, but managed to paint an altarpiece, "The Burial of St. Lucy" 1609 for the Basilica di Santa Lucia al Sepolcro in Syracuse, and the "Adoration of the Shepherds" in 1609. He was then attacked in 1609 outside a Neapolitan tavern, probably by the knight he had assaulted in Malta, and his face was seriously wounded, and he was considered close to death for several months. His last two paintings "The Denial of Peter" and "The Martyrdom of St. Ursula" were produced in 1610 during his convalescence. Upon recovery, and in hopes of a pardon from the Pope, he sailed for Rome. He arrived at Porto Ercole and died suddenly a few days later at age 38.