Michelangelo Caravaggio, the great Baroque painter of the 17th century, was always an artist under surveillance. His style, the subject matter of his paintings, and the way he chose to depict his subjects were often criticized and rejected by his clients. In a journal article written by Troy Thomas, titled "Expressive Aspects of Caravaggio's Early Inspiration of St. Matthew," these rejected paintings are discussed. The article focuses on the themes of these rejected works, notably the Inspiration of Saint Matthew, and uses these themes to prove the validity of the work. This painting is compared and contrasted with other similar and accepted works of the time, in order to show that the work was not done in poor taste. Commissioned by Francesco Contarelli for the church of San Luigi, Caravaggio's first attempt to represent the inspiration of Saint Matthew was rejected by the patrons for several reasons, all of which underlined the precepts of the Council of Trent. The opinion of church officials was that the painting did not express the level of decorum necessary for a religious work of art: St. Matthew's bare feet are on display for all to see, he looks old and wrinkled, and the expression on his face expresses a certain illiteracy or ignorance. The angel, an androgynous and erotic figure, leans on Matthew and physically guides his hand to write the Hebrew script. This action was thought to portray Matthew as stupid and unable to write at all without direct guidance from the angel. The confused expression on the saint's face also added to this impression of illiteracy. In his article, Troy Thomas discusses these reasons for rejection and uses alternative interpretations to validate Caravaggio's work. First of all, the i...... middle of paper ...... that he had carried into Caravaggio's Vocation of Saint Matthew, and embraced the ascetic life of an apostle. In my opinion, the above are all reasons to accept the Inspiration of Saint Matthew as a valid religious work. I agree with the author and believe that its expressive qualities make it an exceptional piece for a church, as it inspires in its viewers the very themes that Matthew personifies. Historically, Caravaggio's works were mercilessly criticized and his patrons were known to insist on revised versions of his paintings. I believe it is Caravaggio's aggressive and real style that gives intense power and strong presence to his paintings. If his unconventional approach had been studied more open-mindedly and adopted by his clients, I am sure he could have truly expressed himself, which is art in its purest form..