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The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is unveiled for Valletta’s co-cathedral in 1608 as Caravaggio’s largest signed Malta altarpiece

A monumental signed sacred altarpiece is an edu path for liturgical seeing. In the causal graph this event strengthens Digital Learning Access, a driver that weakens Learning Poverty Rate (low- and middle-income countries) — an improving welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

Michelangelo. Knights share the commission. His later expulsion is a neighbouring justice row, not this painting.

Context

Malta knighthood and expulsion neighbour this.

Caravaggio’s documented role is bounded by other offices and collaborators named in the sources below.

Knights Hospitaller patronage before Caravaggio’s imprisonment and flight.

Why it matters

A monumental signed sacred altarpiece is an edu path for liturgical seeing.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Caravaggio

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.4 · verified

    Named painter of the Valletta Beheading. Knights as patrons.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Britannica — CaravaggioEncyclopaedia Britannica · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Met Heilbrunn — Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi) and His FollowersMetropolitan Museum of Art · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Britannica and Order-of-Malta heritage date the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist to 1608 for St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, signed f.

Britannica and Met/National Gallery artist narratives independently place the 1608 Beheading in Valletta.

Established: 1608 Valletta Beheading altarpiece. Not established: that knighthood purity trials are this canvas.

Caravaggio did not file a later UNESCO form, a later Loeb colophon, or a later museum label as a personal act. Feast-related unveiling season; keep expulsion separate.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorCaravaggio
  2. contributed toFactThe Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is unveiled for Valletta’s co-cathedral in 1608 as Caravaggio’s largest signed Malta altarpiece
  3. strengthensDriverDigital Learning Access
  4. weakensIndicatorLearning Poverty Rate (low- and middle-income countries)

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is unveiled for Valletta’s co-cathedral in 1608 as Caravaggio’s largest signed Malta altarpiece. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/cv-beheading-baptist-1608

https://factrail.ai/facts/cv-beheading-baptist-1608

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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