Matteüs de evangelist schrijft zijn evangelie 1562

Philips Galle's engraving depicts Saint Matthew, the Evangelist, in the act of writing his Gospel. He's accompanied by an angel, his traditional attribute, symbolizing divine inspiration. This angel motif—a messenger from the heavens—echoes through art history, appearing in various guises from classical winged figures to Renaissance annunciations. The angel represents the conduit between the divine and the mortal, a visual embodiment of revelation. Here, the angel assists Matthew, a clear sign that the Evangelist’s words come directly from God, bridging the earthly and the celestial. Consider how the angel, initially a symbol of divine authority, might evolve into a secular emblem of guidance or hope. This reveals a fundamental human need to find tangible forms for abstract concepts. Ultimately, the persistence and adaptation of the angel symbol across centuries demonstrates the cyclical nature of cultural symbols.