St. John (detail of The Four Evangelists) 1465

This is a fresco of St. John made by Benozzo Gozzoli in the mid-fifteenth century. Here, the Evangelist is shown hard at work, writing his gospel; next to him is his symbolic animal, the eagle. We might consider how different viewers would understand the painting. For a devout Christian in fifteenth-century Italy, this image might have functioned as an inspiration for prayer and contemplation. But it also had a public role: in representing the Evangelist, Gozzoli helped the Church reinforce its authority. For us, this image raises questions about the social and institutional roles of art. What does it mean to see religious figures framed by these elaborate decorations? How does the setting affect our understanding of St. John? What does this image tell us about the relationship between art, religion, and power in Renaissance Italy? To answer these questions, we can turn to historical sources such as religious treatises, biographies of artists, and records of patronage. By studying these resources, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural contexts in which art is created and consumed.