Caravaggio nel IV centenario della Cappella Contarelli

The French cardinal Mathieu Cointrel (in Italian Matteo Contarelli) had left money in his will for the decoration of a chapel in the church of the French in Rome, San Luigi dei Francesi. The vaults had already been decorated in fresco by Caravaggio's former master, the Cavalier d'Arpino, and this artist was also meant to make frescoes on the sidewalls. He however was too busy, and the commission through the intervention of Del Monte was given to Caravaggio who ventured to make two large canvases instead of frescoes. There were detailed descriptions of the motifs, both referring to the legends of Cointrel's name-saint St. Matthew the evangelist. One was to depict the calling of Matthew, (Matthew 9.9), the other the martyrdom of Matthew, when he according to legend was slain in front of the altar.