Prizewinning author Jonathan Harr embarks on an spellbinding journey to discover the long-lost painting known as The Taking of Christ-its mysterious fate and the circumstances of its disappearance have captivated Caravaggio devotees for years. After Francesca Cappelletti stumbles across a clue in that dusty archive, she tracks the painting across a continent and hundreds of years of history. But it is not until she meets Sergio Benedetti, an art restorer...

"Caravaggio was born Michelangelo Merisi in 1570 or 1571, in Caravaggio in Lombardy, and moved to Rome in 1592, when he was in his 20s. His earliest influences were Lombard art, a style which has been noted for its realism. The relation between objects and natural and artificial light, which is an important feature of Caravaggio's work, was assimilated from this local tradition. The author examines the life and work of this innovative artist, including...

Discusses the lives and works of 12 painters that have had great influence on Western culture.