How to Read Paintings: The Inspiration of St Matthew by Caravaggio

Look at this painting. What is going on in it? An ageing man is working at a wooden table. He has an ink quill in his hand and an open book before him. His work has been interrupted by a young boy. Their eyes are locked in an intense dialogue. The boy appears to be descending from above. Look at the boy more closely. Can you tell how he hangs there? The way the light falls on his arms and shoulders makes his upper torso easy to see. The rest of his body, as it disappears into those swirling folds of white fabric, is less straightforward to determine. He is part human and part something else. It is only after a while that you realise he has two substantial wings flapping from his back. <a href="https://christopherpjones.medium.com/how-to-read-paintings-the-inspiration-st-matthew-by-caravaggio-d2addb1eb59">Learn More</a>