Apostel Matteüs 1712 - 1786

Giovanni Marco Pitteri created this print of the Apostle Matthew using etching and engraving techniques. The image presents a close-up of Matthew absorbed in reading, which links to his traditional role as the author of the Gospel of Matthew. Made in Venice, we can situate this print within a culture where religious imagery played a significant role in everyday life, reinforcing moral and spiritual values. Prints like these circulated widely, acting as accessible and reproducible forms of religious instruction and personal devotion. Looking at the inscription, we can trace the image back to a painting by Piazzetta, a leading Venetian painter of the period. The print thus serves as a kind of reproduction of a painting, bringing it to a wider audience. To truly understand a work like this, we need to examine the history of printmaking, the social function of religious images, and the relationship between art and its public. Historical resources such as artist biographies, period documents, and studies of print culture can help us understand the web of social and institutional relations that give meaning to this image.