Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggio (born September 29, 1571 in Milan, † July 18, 1610 in Porto Ercole Monte Argentario), was an important Italian painter of the early Baroque, which was distinguished by its novel and realistic image design. His most significant pictorial innovation was the Chiaroscuro, the light-dark painting, as a design element of the scenes. He is considered together with Annibale Carracci as an overcomer of Mannerism and founder of Roman Baroque painting.