The first painting made by Cravaggio is called The Martyrdom of St. Matthew; it takes place in a church, while the saint is about to baptize some youth, but a slayer bursts into the church and stabs the priest during Mass. It is a brutal execution, depicted like a crime scene in the news: Caravaggio puts you in front of the "live" scene, at its most dramatic moment. St. Matthew is on the ground, trying to defend himself in vain, while the assassin's shouts are echoed by those of the altar boy, who runs away frightened. Caravaggio is also present, depicting himself to the left of the assassin as the figure with the goatee watching the saint's execution. This expedient adds incredible realism to the narrated scene, which seems to take place in the present, and not in a distant past.
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