St. Matthias, from 'Christ, Mary, and the Apostles' 1585 - 1615

Curator: Right, let's talk about this striking print. It's Antonio Tempesta's depiction of Saint Matthias, dating from between 1585 and 1615. This engraving is part of a series entitled 'Christ, Mary, and the Apostles' and currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What do you think? Editor: Oh, wow! My first impression is... serious business. I mean, he's not smiling! There is a determined look on his face and his stance exudes strength and resoluteness. The figure looks rather imposing, but the detail in the robe is something else. Curator: Precisely! Tempesta's artistry showcases symbolic meaning as it depicts Saint Matthias as an almost stoic figure. Note the spear—a clear reference to the method of his martyrdom. He was allegedly crucified after preaching in what is now Georgia. The spear is held with one hand; in the other, a blade points toward his heart. This could mean a calling for inner purity. Editor: Inner purity through potential self-harm, eh? Maybe it's less "inner peace," more "inner turmoil"! And look down, to the left and the right. There are multiple vignettes, full of smaller-scale figures, presumably vignettes alluding to his history. Like small narrative footnotes. I mean, this image is just saturated with stories, even within itself. Curator: Exactly! These prints were never *just* portraits; they served to visually instruct viewers on the lives and deaths of the saints, solidifying cultural memory. I believe the fire on the left vignette possibly symbolizes a cleansing, or possibly represents divine fire. On the right is Matthias and one of his would-be captors who kneels while attempting to disarm the saint, as told in the Apocryphal writings of Pseudo-Matthew. Editor: The interplay between large and small, between portrait and panorama...it all accumulates into something greater. This speaks to something primal within us, about sacrifice and faith and unflinching purpose. I get it now. Curator: An icon speaking across centuries... Amazing. Editor: Indeed. Food for thought—and a little artistic shiver too.