Matthew the Evangelist with Benefactor 1516 - 1547

This is Perino del Vaga’s *Matthew the Evangelist with Benefactor*, painted in oil on canvas. Notice the overall composition, with the figure of Matthew centrally placed, bathed in a soft, diffused light, which contrasts with the darker tones of the background. The artist employs a sophisticated play of textures, juxtaposing the smoothness of the angel's skin against the rough bark of the tree. The figure of God the Father appears in the upper section, enclosed in a gold frame. God is holding an orb, which introduces a cosmological dimension to the painting. In the lower right corner, we see the benefactor, rendered in a smaller scale, kneeling. This difference in scale not only reflects the hierarchical order but also invites us to consider the painting’s function within the social and religious contexts of its time. Here, the formal elements work together to construct a complex interplay of power, divinity, and human endeavor.