Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was the pioneer of Tenebrism, a heightened form of chiaroscuro that uses extreme contrasts of light and dark to create intense drama and focus. In Caravaggio’s work, subjects are often bathed in a single, harsh beam of 'divine' light, while the background remains in near-total darkness. This technique was revolutionary in the late 16th century, moving away from the bright, balanced lighting of the High Renaissance. Caravaggio’s realism was also controversial; he often used common people—including laborers and sex workers—as models for saints and biblical figures, depicting them with dirty fingernails and worn clothing. His most famous works, like 'The Calling of St. Matthew,' influenced a generation of artists known as 'Caravaggisti,' including Rembrandt and Velázquez. His life was as dramatic as his art, involving numerous brawls and a murder charge that forced him to spend his final years in exile.