Artwork
St Matthew the Evangelist
St Matthew the Evangelist is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Annibale Carracci. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
St Matthew the Evangelist is an oil painting attributed to Annibale Carracci, executed in 1661. The work presents the apostle Matthew standing within a shallow, arched niche, his right arm extended while he holds an open book. Dressed in a long robe draped over his left shoulder and sandals on his feet, he gazes upward to the left, his figure illuminated against a plain wall.
Subject & Meaning
The composition identifies the sitter as the Evangelist through the presence of a book, a traditional attribute of Matthew. His upward glance suggests contemplation or divine inspiration, aligning with Counter‑Reformation ideals that emphasized the spiritual authority of the Gospel writers. The restrained setting focuses attention on the saint’s contemplative gesture rather than narrative action.
Technique & Style
Carracci employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, using a subtle gradation of light and shadow that gives the body a three‑dimensional presence.
Carracci employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, using a subtle gradation of light and shadow that gives the body a three‑dimensional presence. The background wall remains flat, allowing the illuminated flesh and drapery to dominate the visual field. The brushwork balances the classical calm of the Renaissance with a nascent Baroque dynamism, evident in the slightly turned pose and the tension of the outstretched arm.
History & Provenance
The painting forms part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. Though Carracci’s active period was the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the work is dated 1661, a later attribution that may reflect a workshop copy or posthumous execution. It entered the museum’s holdings through acquisition in the 20th century, where it remains on display among other Baroque works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Annibale Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian: ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome.
