H. Matteüs met Ambrosius en engel in de wolken 1621 - 1694

Antoine Garnier created this print of Saint Matthew with Ambrose and an angel sometime in the 17th century. It depicts Matthew the Evangelist, author of the first Gospel, alongside Saint Ambrose, a 4th-century bishop of Milan, and a cherubic angel, all floating on fluffy clouds. Prints like this served a vital purpose in the dissemination of religious ideas during the Counter-Reformation. In the wake of the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church used art as a didactic tool to reinforce its doctrines. Garnier’s image exemplifies this, presenting an idealized vision of sainthood and divine inspiration, all within a traditional, hierarchical framework. To truly understand this print, we can turn to historical texts, theological treatises, and even records of artistic patronage. These sources help us to see how art was deployed as a powerful instrument in shaping beliefs and maintaining social order.