Apostel Thomas c. 1590 - 1637

Curator: This engraving, dating roughly from 1590 to 1637, depicts the Apostle Thomas and is attributed to Egbert van Panderen. It’s currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It is titled "Apostel Thomas". Editor: My first impression is how raw and kind of brutally honest it feels. I mean, look at the lines in his face, the veins popping in his hands. There's this intense focus there; he really captures the gravity of faith, and doubt, etched onto a man. Curator: Absolutely. Van Panderen employs the baroque style to really lean into emotionality. This isn't just a portrait, it's a statement on belief and skepticism in the early modern period. Prints like these allowed these ideas to circulate widely during the Reformation. Editor: You know, the spear right behind his head almost feels like it pierces the halo. He’s caught between faith and reason, his doubt visualized in such a powerful and kind of violent way! Is the spear there referring to something particular? Curator: Yes, the spear is a symbol of Thomas's martyrdom, hinting at the tradition that he was killed in India, where he is thought to have traveled as a missionary. But it's interesting you focus on that detail as a piercing to the halo, which really speaks to the tensions inherent in the story. Editor: That's precisely what's hitting me. And those hands! They look like they've seen things, touched the world. Is he holding a bible, perhaps? What can you say of the role of this symbol? Curator: Indeed! The Apostle Thomas is often depicted with sacred books as he would have brought Christianity to the east. I think the composition successfully conveys his human experience to viewers, offering a sense of proximity between present day faithfuls and the saints in a past history. Editor: It definitely bridges time in such a unique way, prompting to connect to him despite our own modern doubts, or the difference in social climate, the details somehow feel surprisingly resonant, immediate. The artist managed to do that very well. Curator: A poignant reminder of the enduring power of faith and doubt intertwined in the human condition.