Evangelist Matteüs 1590 - 1640

This 17th century engraving, titled "Evangelist Matteüs," depicts the apostle Matthew writing his Gospel. The artist, anonymous, uses a dark, detailed style to portray a scene brimming with biblical references. Matthew, seated in a room, appears deeply absorbed in his writing. A young, winged angel rests on his shoulder, symbolizing divine inspiration, while he gazes toward a distant landscape. This landscape, visible through a window, evokes a sense of the vastness of the world and the reach of Matthew’s message. The scene is captured in a detailed composition, highlighting the importance of Matthew's work. This artwork, which can be found in the Rijksmuseum, exemplifies the practice of representing religious figures and stories through printmaking during the Dutch Golden Age.