Caravaggio revolutionized painting with his raw realism and radical use of light. His signature chiaroscuro—intense contrasts between darkness and illumination—pulled scenes out of shadow with cinematic force. Instead of idealized figures, he painted ordinary people with dirt, wrinkles, and emotion fully visible, bringing religious and mythological moments into a strikingly human space. His work was as controversial as it was influential, reshaping Baroque art and leaving a lasting mark on visual storytelling.