The article, written by Dan Thawley for the magazine issue edited by Pierpaolo Piccioli, tells the story and enduring fascination of Caravaggio through one of his most mysterious paintings, The Conversion of Saul, also known as the “Odescalchi Caravaggio.” Painted in 1600 on cypress wood, the work is now housed in Palazzo Odescalchi, overlooking Piazza dei Santi Apostoli in Rome, where it is protected from light and rarely exhibited to the public.

Originally intended for the Cerasi Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo, together with the Crucifixion of Saint Peter, the painting was returned to the artist after the patron’s death. Cerasi’s sons requested new versions on canvas, while the first panels took different paths: the panel depicting Saint Peter was lost, fueling legends and never-ending searches.

Princess Nicoletta Odescalchi, photographed here by Charles H. Traub and the painting’s custodian, speaks of it as a precious and beloved family heirloom, preserved with great care and shown publicly only on rare occasions, such as in 2006 at Santa Maria del Popolo and in 2008 in Milan. The article thus intertwines history, art, and private life, offering a portrait of a rarely seen masterpiece of extraordinary expressive power.

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