St. Matthew, from the series The Four Evangelists 1518

Editor: We’re looking at Lucas van Leyden’s engraving, “St. Matthew, from the series The Four Evangelists,” created in 1518. The detail achieved through the engraving process is amazing! There’s a serene quality to it. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: Serene, yes, like a quiet corner of the mind where inspiration takes root. Look at the way van Leyden uses line – hatching and cross-hatching – to create volume and texture. It's almost sculptural, isn't it? Consider too the historical context; the Northern Renaissance. The Reformation was brewing and there was a deep interest in humanist thought and the study of classical texts. It makes you wonder what thoughts Saint Matthew is recording. Do you think the angel looks…disapproving? Editor: I hadn't thought of disapproving! I saw it as more of an encouraging presence, a source of inspiration. But you're right, there's a certain gravity to the angel's gaze. It does bring out a fascinating tension in the scene. Curator: Or maybe it’s more of a deep, philosophical pensiveness – which frankly I would think the act of creation involves, and reflects. Does the idea always spring perfectly formed into our mind? And look at Saint Matthew, head bent, utterly absorbed, wrestling with ideas perhaps. Don't we all look like that when trying to put words on paper? Editor: Absolutely! I never really considered how the artist's own struggles might be reflected in the image itself. The act of creating – that's a really interesting way to approach it. I'll definitely think of that next time I look at Renaissance art. Curator: Wonderful. Next time you see an artwork, don’t ask "what is it," instead ask “what does it mean to *be*”?