Artwork
The Calling of St Matthew
The Calling of St Matthew is an oil painting by John Skippe. It dates from 1786 and is held in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum.
About this work
Overview
John Skippe’s oil painting The Calling of St Matthew, executed around 1786, depicts a small gathering of robed figures around a table in an interior space. A solitary man at the table lifts his gaze toward an unseen presence beyond a window or doorway, suggesting a moment of revelation. The work is part of the Ashmolean Museum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition alludes to the biblical episode in which Christ summons Matthew to become an apostle. By focusing on the startled expression of the central figure and the quiet concentration of the surrounding men, the painting emphasizes the personal nature of spiritual invitation, inviting viewers to contemplate the instant of divine encounter.
Technique & Style
Skippe employs a restrained palette, contrasting warm, saturated tones in the foreground with more subdued hues in the background to create spatial depth. Subtle chiaroscuro models the figures, while the interplay of light from the implied window highlights the central character, lending the scene an intimate, almost theatrical atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created in the late eighteenth century, The Calling of St Matthew has remained in the United Kingdom, eventually entering the Ashmolean Museum’s holdings. The museum acquired the work as part of its broader collection of British religious art, where it is displayed alongside contemporaneous works that explore similar biblical narratives.
Artist & collection
