Four Evangelists 1550

Jacopo Pontormo made this drawing, called Four Evangelists, in Florence, Italy, sometime in the 16th century. It's a study in graphite on paper, and although it depicts a religious subject, we can see how Pontormo was pushing against the conventions of the time. Florence during the Renaissance was deeply religious. It was also a place where artists like Pontormo were given commissions to produce art for the Church, and for wealthy patrons with very specific ideas. The bodies here are stacked in an unnatural way, and the poses are contorted. This was a period that valued balance and harmony and although Pontormo was working within that system, he was starting to challenge the way things were done, which is one of the reasons why we remember his work today. To understand more, compare it with other artworks made at the time. Consider who was commissioning them and what their motivations might have been.