Four Evangelists c. 1544

Domenico Beccafumi rendered "Four Evangelists" in ink, sometime in the 16th century. Beccafumi lived and worked during a period of great religious and social upheaval, as the Protestant Reformation challenged the Catholic Church’s authority. Here, Beccafumi presents the Evangelists not as divine figures, but as scholars deeply engrossed in their texts. These are men shaped by their intellectual labor. Notice the intimate portrayal of the Evangelists, their faces etched with contemplation and concern. They are laboring over their books, trying to make sense of a changing world. In a time of religious conflict, Beccafumi seems to be suggesting that the answers lie in deeper engagement with faith itself, an idea which resonates with the personal struggles of the Reformation era. This drawing isn’t just about religious figures; it’s a reflection on the power and responsibility of interpreting sacred texts during times of cultural transformation.