Saints John the Baptist and Matthew 1428 - 1438

Curator: Here we have "Saints John the Baptist and Matthew," a tempera on wood panel creation from Bicci di Lorenzo, dating back to the 1428-1438 period. What catches your eye first? Editor: That raw immediacy, actually! The earthy tones, those very present bare feet...it feels less like a pristine devotional piece and more like a couple of guys I might meet trekking in the wilderness. Curator: Exactly! Though swathed in robes, there’s something humble about their presence, even vulnerable. It departs from more regal depictions. Think about John the Baptist: animal skin garment, scraggly beard. What does it evoke? Editor: An ascetic existence, obviously, but more so this unvarnished truth of faith lived on the margins, a counterpoint to worldly comfort. He’s holding a staff, not a scepter! He is also carrying a scroll, can you talk a little more about that? Curator: He’s carrying a scroll of his declaration: "Ecce Agnus Dei," meaning "Behold, the Lamb of God." Matthew, by contrast, holds the Gospel he wrote, signifying knowledge. Editor: Symbols of raw experience versus formalized understanding, each crucial facets of religious conviction, don't you think? That the placement puts Matthew on the right implies this sense-making follows being and transformation, but each is indispensable in the search for divinity. Curator: Definitely. Note too the gilded background—that's not merely decorative but imbues the scene with a celestial aura, bridging earthly and divine realms, framing their likeness and deeds in timelessness. Editor: Yes, so the raw earthiness of the figures are also meant to bridge these temporalities too! Curator: This work isn't just pretty painting. It presents these pivotal figures, grounded in earthly humanity, who also served to establish a faith that has gone on to shape history. Editor: A fascinating, unexpectedly intimate look at foundational figures. Gives me a lot to consider about the complexities of belief and its representation.