Caravaggio's naturalistic work had a lasting influence on Baroque painting in Italy and was frequently imitated by his contemporaries, especially after his death in 1610. His artistic means were as simple as they were effective: through the dramatic use of his chiaroscuro, figures of vivid reality emerge from the dark background. After an intense reception of Caravaggio's revolutionary stylistic innovations, Caravaggism began to wane in Italy from 1630.