Artwork
An Apostle
An Apostle is an unspecified painting by Carlo Crivelli. It dates from 1471 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This painting, titled An Apostle, was created by the Italian Renaissance artist Carlo Crivelli in 1471. It depicts a solemn figure, characteristic of the religious subjects prevalent in the period. The work is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing Crivelli's distinctive approach to sacred imagery.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a solemn apostle, clad in traditional robes, holding a scroll inscribed with minute text. His right hand gestures upwards, implying instruction or revelation, while a golden nimbus encircles his head, denoting his sanctity. This depiction aligns with the conventions of religious portraiture, presenting a figure of spiritual authority and wisdom.
Technique & Style
Carlo Crivelli's artistic approach is characterized by a Late Gothic decorative style, evident in the intricate details and rich surface textures of this work.
Carlo Crivelli's artistic approach is characterized by a Late Gothic decorative style, evident in the intricate details and rich surface textures of this work. His early training in the Veneto exposed him to influences from artists like the Vivarini, Squarcione, and Mantegna. The gold background, rendered with fine dots and lines, creates a textured effect, while the apostle's robes feature strong contrasts of light and shadow, enhancing their visual prominence.
History & Provenance
This panel painting was completed by Carlo Crivelli in 1471. While Crivelli began his career in the Veneto region, he later established his practice primarily in the March of Ancona, where he refined his individual artistic expression. The work is now housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, contributing to its representation of Italian Renaissance art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carlo Crivelli (c. 1430 – c. 1495) was an Italian Renaissance painter of conservative Late Gothic decorative sensibility, who spent his early years in the Veneto, where he absorbed influences from the Vivarini,…
![Saint James Major [right panel], by Grifo di Tancredi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/grifo-di-tancredi--saint-james-major-right-panel--dc190378c0cddc8f-w320.webp)
