FORT WORTH, TX.- Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome opens October 16, 2011, at the Kimbell Art Museum, its only U.S. venue. Electrifying in his originality, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610) was a controversial genius whose short life was rife with conflict and who, in just the last half-‐century, has reemerged as one of the most celebrated artists of all time. “Caravaggiomania,” as described in a 2010 article in Art in America, has resulted in an extensive array of films, books, and commercial products that bear his name and images. “Before Caravaggio’s paintings were inspiring filmmakers and adorning wine bottles and jars of pasta sauce,” commented Eric M. Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum, “they were emulated and studied by his contemporaries. ‘Caravaggiomania’ was born in the 17th century, when patrons and artists alike became captivate