Two Evangelists Conversing after 1570

Luca Cambiaso made this pen and brown ink drawing called "Two Evangelists Conversing" sometime in the 16th century. Cambiaso lived in Genoa, a republic ruled by powerful families, and was known for his religious scenes. In this work, two men are placed close together, filling the frame. The lines are energetic, and the composition emphasizes their heads and hands, signs of intellect and labor. The evangelists represent the spread of Christian doctrine in a time when the Catholic Church was dealing with challenges to its authority. Cambiaso himself was hired to do work inside churches. Religious brotherhoods were active in Genoa and commissioned art for devotional purposes. Understanding Cambiaso's art requires us to look at the religious and political climate of his time. Research into the history of Genoa and the Counter-Reformation can reveal more about the social context of this drawing.