“The Boy Bitten by a Lizard” exists in two versions – one in the Roberto Longhi Foundation in Florence, Italy, and the other in the National Gallery in London. Both were painted by Caravaggio in the 1590s, shortly after his arrival in Rome. The image shows a young man reacting rather dramatically to the bite of a lizard which had been hiding amongst scattered fruit. While some scholars believe the model of the painting was Carvaggio’s friend Mario Minniti, others claim it is a disguised self-portrait since the pose resembles that of a painter with palette and brush. Buona visione!