Saint Matthias 1495 - 1539

Marcantonio Raimondi made this engraving of Saint Matthias in Italy, sometime in the early 16th century. Raimondi was a key figure in the rise of printmaking as a fine art. Religious imagery was incredibly popular, and prints could be sold for a fraction of the cost of a painting. Here, Matthias is depicted holding a long staff. The Gospel of Matthew tells us he was the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. The halo identifies him as a saint, but Raimondi's image also reminds us that he was a man. The lines on his face, his bare feet, and the humble rendering of his cloak all suggest someone who has lived a hard life. The image is both reverent and humanistic, reflecting the values of the Renaissance. To understand this and other images better, historians can use various resources: the letters of artists, the records of workshops, and the inventories of collectors. These all help us understand the social conditions in which art is made and consumed.