A Fugitive Genius Caravaggio tempestuous life stretched across two centuries the worn-out Renaissance of the 1500s and the rising Baroque of the 1600s. During his short life, and a career burnt out too quickly, the Lombard painter deeply shook the world of art with unforgettable masterpieces. He emerged from the slums and taverns, climbed the great staircases of cardinals palaces and soon reached the peak of his fame. It was a life of drama and adventure, incredible fame and desperate sadness.