In the Cerasi Chapel there are 2 incredible works by the great Michelangelo:
1. The Crucifixion of St. Peter
2. The Conversion of St. Paul
The two canvases, commissioned to Caravaggio in September 1600 by Cardinal Tiberio Cerasi, at that time treasurer of Pope Clement VIII, possess an extraordinary expressive power and introduce a series of innovative stylistic solutions in the art of the Lombard painter.
Caravaggio exalts himself in the pictorial description of the materials and lights, but what strikes, above all, is the humanity of the characters represented, not only that of the two saints: no heroism or transfiguration, but a scene of life described with tragic realism.
In particular, in the Conversion of St Paul, the horse occupies much more space than the saint and the episode, instead of taking place outdoors, as tradition dictates, takes place in a dark stable.
The realism is such that scholars have suggested that Caravaggio had used models. Both works were begun in 1600 and finished in 1601.
