Studies of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Matthew c. 17th century

Giacinto Calandrucci made this pen and brown ink drawing, "Studies of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Matthew" in Italy in the late 17th or early 18th century. Calandrucci was working at a time when the Catholic Church was reasserting its authority through art and architecture, following the challenge of the Protestant Reformation. Here we see studies for religious paintings that show saints in the midst of divine inspiration. The upward glances and flowing drapery are visual cues, marking their special connection to God. The question for us is, what role did artists like Calandrucci play in shaping religious belief? A closer look at the archives of the art academies, and the records of the religious orders and institutions that commissioned these works, might provide insight into the cultural and political work being done through such images. By studying the social conditions and institutional frameworks within which this drawing was produced, we can better understand the public role of art in early modern Italy.