Final answer:
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was a major influence on later Baroque artists, known for his use of tenebrism which revolutionized the use of light in painting.
Step-by-step explanation:
The artist who was an inspiration to later Baroque artists was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Caravaggio is credited with revolutionizing the use of light in painting, creating illuminated lighting that employs stark contrasts between light and dark areas, a technique known as tenebrism. This revolutionary style helped to define the Baroque era in Italy and influenced a legion of artists, known as the Caravaggisti, who embraced and propagated his dramatic and realistic approach to art.