A Little Caravaggio Spit-take

It's no big news that the "Caravaggio: The Final Years" show has been a smashing success at London's National Gallery. What may come as a shock is that the exhibit was backed by a donation from U.S. millionaire Howard F. Ahmanson, Jr. This would be the very same Howard Ahmanson who lends his considerable finances to debunking the theory of evolution in U.S. public schools and supporting the Chalcedon Foundation, an entity which is devoted to upholding Old Testament values ... such as the death penalty for homosexual activity. To each his own. It's his money, and he is entitled to spend it where and how he chooses. The end result is a fantastic show of artwork that benefits the public. I just can't help but wonder two things. First, did Ahmanson know anything at all about that bad boy, Caravaggio, besides the fact that he painted religious masterpieces? And, secondly, it's a huge question when (or if) I'm ever going to learn to quit drinking coffee in front of the monitor while reading the Arts news.