The painting above is Still Life with Fruit on a Stone Ledge by Caravaggio, a master of using light for visual suggestiveness. Did you notice the dramatic use of light in this painting? It’s mesmerizing at the least.
Caravaggio cut a hole in the ceiling of the rooms he rented to achieve this characteristic diagonal lighting. This didn’t sit well with his landlady and Caravaggio was sued for all them holes (I guess hefty caution deposits were not a thing back then 🙃)
The legend has it that Caravaggio’s life long obsession with light and sharp contrasts stemmed from his younger years where he spent time locked up in a prison room with only a small opening for light to enter.
That little light Caravaggio had in a dark cell transcended through his brush strokes and continues to illuminate the eyes and souls of thousands around the world to this day.
Sometimes it takes a lot of darkness to appreciate a little light ❤️