Matthew the Apostle

Saint Matthew the Evangelist is an oil tempera on beech board painting by Bohemian painter Master Theodoric. It forms an almost symmetrical counterpart to the image of Saint Luke on the altar wall in the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is an exceptionally high quality painting by Master Theodoric. The painting is exhibited in the collection of medieval art of the National Gallery in Prague. Description and classification An oval reliquary hole is preserved in the lower part of the frame. The ornamental decoration of the background and frame with pastiglia is well preserved in the left and upper part, elsewhere it is considerably damaged. The colours and almost mirror-like composition are reminiscent of Theodoric's painting of St Luke. In the facial part, detailed with fine brushstrokes, the painting follows the underdrawing. The incarnation is rendered in warmer tones, the hair is brown and the beard is not greyed out. The half-figure of the angel, emerging from a blue cloud and communicating the words of the Gospel to Matthew, is in contrasting colours of white, red and gold, as is the book in Matthew's hands. As can be seen from the images taken by infrared reflectography, the most significant changes in composition during the painting occurred in the case of the book, which is only ajar, and also in the subsequent position of the hands. The treatment of the drapery therefore had to be modified. While in the right hand of St. Matthew the system of folds is almost identical with that of St. Luke, in the left hand the drapery is thrown over the bent forearm and merges in a tubular fold. The change is due to the position of the left hand, which is in the opposite position to St Luke's, and the thumb and forefinger join to hold the cross. The cross has not survived, nor have other gilded ornaments on Theodoric's paintings. The fingers are modelled with greyish shading, but the details are less elaborate than in St Luke.