Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio, was an influential Italian Baroque painter born in 1571. His dramatic use of light and shadow, known as chiaroscuro, revolutionized the art world. Caravaggio's tumultuous life included brawls, legal troubles, and a mysterious death in 1610. Despite his controversial personal life, his innovative style and intense realism have left an enduring impact on the history of art.