Rome - San Luigi dei Francesi

San Luigi dei Francesi, dedicated to St Louis (Louis IX of France), is the French national church in Rome. It was begun by Cardinal Giulio de'Medici, later Pope Clement VIII, but work was then suspended and not resumed until 1580 (under the direction of Domenico Fontana). The church was dedicated in 1589. The Renaissance facade was probably the work of Giacomo della Porta (c. 1540-1602). The church itself, a three-aisled pillared basilica, contains three major pictures (scenes from the life of St Matthew) by Caravaggio (c. 1597). Masterpieces of realistic painting, with Caravaggio's new composition of light and shade and striking chiaroscuro effects, they were not universally admired at the time. A self-portrait of the artist can be seen to the left of the executioner in the martyrdom scene.