Italian painter Caravaggio has been a source of interest in Ripley ever since Dickie (Johnny Flynn) first asked Tom (Andrew Scott) if he was a fan. While Tom was undoubtedly lying when he originally professed enthusiasm, he has become a Caravaggio expert by Ripley episode 8. Dickie tells the story of the murder Caravaggio committed at the age of 35 in episode 2, and the finale, "Narcissus," opens with a flashback to the night in 1606 when this crime occurred. As the story cuts between the 17th and 20th centuries, creator Steven Zaillian highlights the parallels between Caravaggio and Tom.
