John the Evangelist 1450

This panel of 'John the Evangelist' was painted by Stefan Lochner in the mid-15th century. Painted in Cologne, Germany, this panel speaks to the city's vibrant religious culture at the time. Lochner was commissioned to make art by members of religious orders such as the Jesuits. He painted in the International Gothic style, which was then popular with these groups. The style combined realistic details with the stylised forms and rich colours of medieval art. Here, John the Evangelist is depicted holding a chalice, a traditional attribute indicating his identity, with a halo encircling his head. What does this tell us about the public role of art at the time? We might ask what the function of this image was, how it was used, and how its meaning was shaped by its cultural context. Art historians look at various sources such as civic records, guild documents, and religious writings to better understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production.