Going to Damascus for conversion, Caravaggio symbolizes the existence of God in the light of reality

Caravaggio, Conversion to Damascus, 1601

In three-dimensional digital art, in order to obtain excellent light and shadow effects, we can use cheating methods in three-dimensional environments to obtain light that should not exist. These lights give both ample and soft light to the things we want to be noticed in the scene.

This deception of unreal light sources was actually used by Leonardo da Vinci of the Renaissance. This is also well understood. Because like any kind of three-dimensional editor we have today, we can do it there, and Leonardo da Vinci can do it with his brush, as long as we can think of it and want that result in our minds. You see, some things (knowledge and its exploitation) are eternal and transcendent.

When the Italian lira was not replaced by the euro, an Italian painter was printed on the 100,000-lira banknote. What the? Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo or Raphael, you're not right, he's Caravaggio. Although Leonardo da Vinci is much more famous in the world than Caravaggio, in Italy their fame is equal.

In contrast to Leonardo da Vinci's cheat in the painting, Caravaggio's paintings focus on the rendering of real light. That is, the light source outside the picture that we often think about in the 3D editing environment. It was Caravaggio's use of this technique that earned him a reputation in Italy on a par with Leonardo da Vinci.

In the case of a painting by Caravaggio today in His Conversion to Damascus, Caravaggio makes full use of the light of reality to achieve the expression of the oracle with the light of reality.

First, let's understand the religious significance of this painting.

In this painting, a tall horse dominates the picture, and a young soldier falls under the horse's hooves with open arms. The soldier's name was Saul, and his actions foreshadowed his repentance from hearing God's voice.

Saul was a fanatical Member of Judaism, affiliated with the Pharisees who strictly enforced the Law, and actively served as a vanguard in the persecution of the new Christians. He was the commander of a certain unit, and on the way to lead the army to suppress the Christians in Damascus, Syria, the holy light fell from the sky and illuminated the surroundings, and he fell down in a panic and heard the voice of God: "Saul, why persecute me?" Saul repented.

The novelty of the painting is that Caravaggio did not follow the previous form to depict this religious story. In traditional depictions, the painter usually combines Saul, who fell from his horse, jesus who appeared in heaven, and the people around him who were amazed by the light. When we think carefully about the form designed by Caravaggio in conjunction with religious stories, we will find that the confession of Saul presented in Caravaggio's picture comes from his heart rather than the traditional mysticism surrounded by the divine light. Repentance from the heart is the most sincere repentance. This is probably the true meaning of Caravaggio's design.

In fact, the Church of Our Lady of the People in Rome, where this fresco is located, whenever someone comes to visit on a summer afternoon, one can see the strong sunlight shining through the high window behind, as if a divine light spills from one side of the picture, and the light caught by Saul's open arms that falls to the ground is the real sunlight.