Artwork
Saint Matthew
Saint Matthew is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Saint Matthew is a 1512 woodcut print by Lucas Cranach the Elder, showcasing his proficiency in the medium alongside painting and engraving. Created during his tenure as court painter to the Electors of Saxony, the work reflects his early alignment with Catholic religious themes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts the Apostle Matthew amidst a chaotic scene, characteristic of Cranach’s religious subjects from this period. The apostle, distinguishable in robes, is enveloped by a crowd engaging in various agitated actions, set against a dynamically rendered sky with swirling clouds and a distant structure.
Technique & Style
Executed using the woodcut technique, the image was carved into wood for printing, a prevalent method in the 1500s facilitating widespread dissemination of images. The result is a black-and-white composition marked by scratchy, busy lines, imparting a sense of rough urgency to the scene.
History & Provenance
Produced in 1512, Saint Matthew predates Cranach’s later shift towards Protestant themes, positioning it within his Catholic period. Specific provenance details are not provided, reflecting the commonality of woodcut prints in circulating religious imagery during the Renaissance.
Context
As a woodcut, Saint Matthew leveraged the technology of its time to make religious art accessible. The choice of subject and the dramatic composition align with the religious and artistic currents of early 16th-century Europe, where such prints served both devotional and decorative purposes.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of Saint Matthew are not highlighted, as a work by Cranach the Elder, it contributes to the broader appreciation of his oeuvre and the significance of woodcuts in Renaissance art dissemination. Its style and subject matter reflect the transitional religious climate of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
