Evangelist Mattheus after 1534

This print of the Evangelist Mattheus was created by an anonymous artist, and rendered with the graphic technique of woodcut. In this process, the artist carves an image into a block of wood, then inks and prints it. The stark contrast of line and solid is typical of woodcut's direct, forceful character, very different from drawing on paper. Here, the artist used the medium to emphasize the divine inspiration of St. Matthew, guided by an angel in the act of writing his Gospel. The texture of the wood itself is apparent, a reminder of the labor involved in producing the image. Woodcut was a crucial technology for disseminating images and ideas. By combining image and text, prints like this one enabled wider access to religious narratives, contributing to cultural and intellectual exchange. This print, like many others, blurs the lines between art, craft, and industry. It’s a reminder that techniques often considered ‘craft’ have historically played a vital role in mass communication and the distribution of knowledge.