Keywords: Joachim Antonisz Wtewael - Saint Matthew - Walters 372617.jpg St Matthew is depicted receiving inspiration in composing his Gospel from a divinely sent winged human figure one of the four winged creatures described in Revelation that were understood as symbolizing the four Evangelists This painting is from a series of the Four Evangelists that is datable to around 1616 by comparison to a similar dated series By contorting the Evangelist's body in a cramped space against a black background Wtewael pronounced oo-te-vahl increases our sense of the saint's stress and concentration This artificial manipulation is visually intriguing but old fashioned at a time when Bloemaert and others were turning to greater naturalism ca 1616 Baroque oil on panel cm 78 7 62 accession number 37 2617 26502 Wedewer Collection Sale Cologne May 1 1899 no 90 as by H Goltzius Howard Collection sale Christie's New York June 1984 Walters Art Museum Baltimore 1984 by purchase Museum purchase with funds provided by the W Alton Jones Foundation Acquisition Fund 1984 Masters of Light Dutch Painters in Utrecht During the Golden Age The Walters Art Gallery Baltimore; Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco San Francisco; The National Gallery London 1997-1998 place of origin Utrecht Netherlands Walters Art Museum license 2D Baroque paintings in the Walters Art Museum Joachim Wtewael Media contributed by the Walters Art Museum needs category review |