Caravaggio, Polidoro Caldara Da

Caravaggio, Polidoro Caldara Da, an eminent Milanese painter, was born at Caravaggio in 1495, and was instructed by Raphael, who selected him to paint the friezes of his Works in the Vatican. He appears to have revived the perfection of ancient art. He executed at Rome two subjects from the life of Mary Magdalene. Caravaggio was in the fill tide of success when he was compelled to flee to Naples, in consequence of the sacking of Rome by the Spaniards in 1527. He painted at Naples two pictures of St. Peter and St. Paul, in the church of Santa Maria della Grazia, and at Messiina a celebrated picture of Christ Bearing the Cross. He was murdered by his servant, for his money, in 1543. See Spooner, Biog. Hist. of the Fine Arts, s.v.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.