God the Father and Eleven of the Twelve Apostles 1742

Editor: This engraving from 1742 by Giovanni Marco Pitteri, titled "God the Father and Eleven of the Twelve Apostles," is striking. The figure's upward gaze and the stark contrasts create such a sense of yearning. What draws your eye when you look at this print? Curator: The gaze, precisely. The upward glance is a classic trope of religious art. Look at the symbols interwoven into his very depiction. What do you recognize? Editor: Well, the man looks quite old, and he has a long beard. He also carries some kind of blade. I suppose those attributes have some specific meaning? Curator: Indeed. The long beard is the common indicator for wisdom and age but that is not all it carries. Notice the placement and prominence of the blade? Consider the pre-Christian origins of that symbol and then apply it to Saint Matthew who was killed by a swordsman, likely fulfilling some pagan ritual. How does the piece speak to the collision of these belief systems through its symbology? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered how older pagan symbols would be re-interpreted in a Christian context. Is that common in art of this period? Curator: Absolutely. It’s not just about conveying piety; it's about memory, about rooting new beliefs in familiar visual languages to grant them legitimacy and continuity. By combining conventional forms with distinct iconography, Pitteri has woven Matthew’s identity through an image. Consider how artists draw from a wellspring of visual cues that evoke something ancient, or modern depending on the intent. Editor: I’ll never look at religious art the same way again. Thanks, this was very enlightening! Curator: My pleasure. Keep looking beneath the surface; that's where the real conversations begin.