Saint Matthew holding a pouch
Original title: Saint Matthew holding a pouch
kurzbeschreibung
Matthew, the evangelist and former tax collector, appears barefoot in a full, folded robe, his head crowned with a radiant crown. Marco Dente engraved the figure around 1515–27. In his left hand Matthew holds a scroll; his right hand clutches a purse.
Description
The saint stands upright at the center against a blank ground, his robe rendered in delicate folds and graded shadows. Above his head sits a brightly glowing crown, alluding to his martyrdom and sanctity. The scroll is on the left, the purse on the right. The print remains monochrome; tonal values arise solely from the engraved lines, which bring out the drapery and the structure of the crown with clarity.
Context
Dente was among the Renaissance copperplate engravers in Rome and worked in the first half of the sixteenth century. This sheet belongs to a series of saint images made after designs by artists such as Raphael. Such reproductive engravings made the High Renaissance accessible to a wider public. The exact date of the work cannot be determined with certainty; a period between 1515 and 1527 has been suggested.
Impact
The clear layout and calm linework give the saint a dignified presence. Scroll and purse together tell of Matthew's dual role: as author of the Gospel and as the former tax collector. This lends the print a tension that goes beyond a simple depiction of a saint.
Technique
For the engraving, Dente cut the lines with a burin into a copper plate, from which prints were then taken. Fine hatching and cross-hatching create graded tones and surface textures that give the figure corporeality. The trimmed sheet measures 21 × 13.3 cm, suggesting later use or framing.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)