Saint Matthew c. 16th century

Curator: Lucas Cranach the Elder's "Saint Matthew," residing here at Harvard Art Museums, presents a striking scene rendered in woodcut. Editor: Woah, powerful stuff! The stark black and white really amps up the drama. It's like a nightmare unfolding on paper. Curator: Indeed. Cranach's choice of woodcut highlights the process—the labor of carving, the physical act of pressing ink. The subject matter, depicting the execution of Saint Matthew, is of course inherently laden with cultural context and the symbolic weight of martyrdom. Editor: Right, the material speaks volumes! But visually, the rigid lines of the execution device contrast with the figures huddled around. Gives it this claustrophobic feel, like everyone is trapped. Curator: A pointed observation, highlighting the constraints of both the medium and the social order being depicted, perhaps. Editor: Definitely leaves you pondering the human condition. Cranach really nails the mood. Curator: A mood achieved through deliberate material and symbolic choices, wouldn't you agree?