Saint Matthew c. 17th century

Curator: Here we have Nicolas Ryckemans' "Saint Matthew," part of the collection at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: He looks so sly, doesn't he? Almost as if he knows a secret and is about to wink at me. The textures are so rich, particularly in the beard and the folds of his robe. Curator: Ryckemans really captures something of the everyday in his portrayal of a saint. Look at his hands—they're working hands. And the lines etched to form the image create such a play of light and shadow. Editor: That’s interesting. It makes me think about who produced the printing plates themselves. What workshops, what kind of labor went into making this image accessible? It must have taken hours. Curator: Yes, and in his eyes, I see a man who has grappled with profound ideas but hasn't lost his humanity. Editor: Absolutely, it's a testament to how art can reveal not just the subject, but the conditions of its own making. Curator: A beautiful reminder of the layers of meaning embedded within this seemingly simple depiction.