Santa Maria del Popolo  

One of the first Renaissance churches Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome, commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere in 1492. Bramante and Bernini designed much of this church which contains superlative frescoes by Pinturicchio and two masterpieces by Caravaggio.

The artist presents the workers as common men doing their job. The characters are depicted as totally detached from the situation, without showing cruelty or brutality. The usage of light, focusing on the figures, freezes the moment of crucifixion (shown above).

Conversion of St. Paul by Caravaggio 
1600-1601

Again we see another example of Caravaggio painting style, breaking away from the conventional methods of the time.

In this painting the "CONVERSION" doesn't take place on the road to Damascus, but instead, in the stable dominated by the massive size of the horse.

Notice the trademark of Caravaggio's usage of light, drawing the spectators eyes to the center piece of the horse, then downward to St. Paul and then the half seen caretaker in the background.