Four hundred years after the death of Caravaggio, some of the world's most illustrious art historians comment on an extraordinary collection of twenty-five of his works. How is it possible that an artist who lived over four centuries ago is still seen today as an icon of modernity? The answer must be sought in his works; this is where we will grasp Caravaggio's aesthetic pursuit. He observed without prejudice, hewing close to the truth of things. In short, his was a revolutionary art, one which continues to fascinate laypeople and experts alike to this day. The editors asked some of the world's preeminent Caravaggio scholars to share their feelings and insights about their favorite works by the artist. The result is an original catalogue of great rigor expressed in deeply human and richly subjective tones. With works from all over the world including Saint John the Baptist from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City; and The Musicians from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Rossella Vodret is the Director of the Polo Museale in Rome. Francesco Buranelli is secretary of the Pontifical Commision for Cultural Heritage.