In the footsteps of Caravaggio | Private

Embark on an expedition through the history of baroque art through the masterpieces of one of the era’s most influential artists: Michelangelo Merisi Da Caravaggio. Join your expert guide for a tour through the basilicas of Santa Maria del Popolo, San Luigi dei Francesi, and Sant’Agostino for insight into the artist’s depictions of Christian parables and local culture.

As with all paintings, there is a story to be told. Caravaggio’s storytelling method was unlike any other painter in the Baroque period. He portrayed religion through ordinary life—the elderly, children, prostitutes, and the poor in particular—and used high contrast and natural shadows to create such profound and revolutionary paintings that have gone unrivaled for centuries. His insistence on rendering the emotional truth of experience produces a contrasting quality of power and relatability, as well as a reflection of his own life.

Discover the life and masterpieces of Caravaggio with us

Your private Caravaggio tour takes you through some of central Rome’s most stunning churches. Here you will find the most famous Caravaggio masterpieces that have made the artist a household name all over the western world. Caravaggio was a complex, often violent character.

Living in Rome during his 20s, he spent his days at the easel but many nights on the streets, getting involved in brawls and street fights. During one such fight Caravaggio killed a man, forcing him to flee to Naples, never to return. But during his time in the Eternal City he forged an artistic legacy that has lived down the ages.

View three Caravaggios in San Luigi dei Francesi Church

Built for the French community in the sixteenth century, the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi contains an impressive repertoire of Italian artworks. Without doubt the most famous, however, are its three Caravaggio panels represented key moments in the life of Saint Matthew. In characteristically groundbreaking style, Caravaggio depicted the Calling of Saint Matthew, the Inspiration of Saint Matthew, and – inevitably – the Martyrdom of Saint Matthew.

Marvel at the Caravaggio in Santa Maria del Popolo Church

Situated on Rome’s famous Piazza del Popolo (hence the church’s name), the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo contains works by some of the Eternal City’s most prized artists. Among its prestigious collection are artworks by Raphael, Bernini, and Bramante – all of whom have left significant contributions in the Vatican.

Raphael left us the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican Museums, Bernini fashioned the famous Baldachin inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, and Bramante among other things was responsible for renovating Saint Peter’s Basilica itself. But even with such impressive names, the highlight of Santa Maria del Popolo is the Caravaggio depicting the Crucifixion of Saint Peter: a work spilling with pathos.

Meet a Caravaggio masterpiece in Sant’Agostino Church

Occupying pride of place within this 15th century church, whose facade is built from travertine taken from the Colosseum, is Caravaggio’s stunning Madonna di Loreto. Commissioned at the beginning of the 17th century, it controversially depicts a barefoot Virgin Mary – something which according to contemporaries caused uproar at the time of its unveiling. Gaze upon Caravaggio’s mastery in the company of an expert art historian and unlock the many secrets behind the Great Master’s craft.