Apostel Mattias met speer staand in nis 1517 - 1577

This small print depicts the Apostle Matthias, spear in hand, standing in a niche. It was made using a technique called engraving, where the artist would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a copper plate. Look closely and you can see how the density and direction of these lines create tone and texture, from the dark recesses of the niche to the flowing drapery of Matthias’s robes. The character’s dignity is all the more remarkable, given the relative cheapness of this method of production. Prints like this circulated widely, spreading images and ideas across Europe. It's important to remember that the engraver was also a skilled worker, part of a larger system of workshops and distribution. Without their craft, Matthias would be much less well known.