The Caravaggisti

The painters then in Rome were greatly taken by this novelty, and the young ones particularly gathered around him, praised him as the unique imitator of nature, and looked on his work as miracles. They outdid each other in imitating his works, undressing their models and raising their lights.
Giovanni Pietro Bellori 1672

So unique was Caravaggio's vision and so strong was his impact on artists around him and on the next generation, that his followers have been labelled the Caravaggisti .

The grittiness of Caravaggio's approach was embraced by the Caravaggisti. The extraordinary magnitude of Caravaggio's impact on these artists is seen in the stark realism, high quality of the still life elements and glorious painting of fabric in their paintings.

Their use of theatrically composed light contrasted with dark shadows also shows his affect on these artists. In particular, many Caravaggisti exploited the dramatic potential of painting nocturnal scenes illuminated by golden candlelight.