For instance, he was commissioned to do a painting of the death of the Virgin Mary and he dutifully painted a drowned whore they fished out of the river! Look at her bloated body and stiff legs! [Click on the picture to enlarge.] This painting, known as The Death of the Virgin, was rejected and returned to Caravaggio.
This is the most moving piece of art I have ever set eyes on. It's called David with Goliath's Head. But it is really Caravaggio painting himself. At this point in his miserable life he was on the run for murder. It's a younger Caravaggio looking with sorrow and contempt at an older Caravaggio. That expression on David's face is simply heart-breaking! Caravaggio died a few months after this painting was completed - without receiving the pardon he had so longed for.
Here's a video of Caravaggio's troubled life by the BBC. I recommend it highly.
