Saint Matthew 1835 - 1867

Camille-Auguste Gastine created this drawing of Saint Matthew in the mid-19th century, using chalk on paper. Look closely, and you can see the way that Gastine has exploited the material qualities of chalk – its ability to create both sharp lines and soft gradations of tone. This allows him to render the saint's robes with a flowing, almost sculptural quality. The drawing is on a tan paper, and the chalk is mostly white, which serves to make the figure luminous. But consider what it took to make this image. The chalk would have been manufactured, likely with a degree of industrialization. The paper too: not handmade, but mass produced. And the artist himself, no doubt, was working for a market – trying to produce images that would appeal to collectors and patrons. So even a seemingly simple drawing like this one is actually the product of a complex social and economic system. It reminds us that all art is made in a specific context, and that the materials and processes used always have a story to tell.