The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew

About this work

You see Andrew nailed upside-down to a rough wooden cross. A crowd leans in, some shielding eyes from the sun. Flickering light caresses his twisted body, while shadows swallow the edges of the scene. Caravaggio painted this in Naples after fleeing Rome. Notice how the light feels real—it hits one side of Andrew’s back, leaving the rest almost black. That trick is called chiaroscuro, where bright and dark sharply contrast. This painting shows Caravaggio’s later style. Check out the Cleveland Museum of Art for more of his work.