Saint Thomas c. 1595

Curator: Zacharias Dolendo, a Dutch printmaker from the late 16th century, gave us this image of Saint Thomas. The print is relatively small, about 15 centimeters square, housed now at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: What strikes me is the raw honesty in his expression, and how his face seems etched with skepticism, almost daring us to doubt alongside him. Curator: Saint Thomas, often called "Doubting Thomas," is a fascinating figure. Dolendo probably aimed to capture his internal struggle and eventual conviction. Editor: The crosshatching technique really brings a sculptural weight to his robes and face. It’s like a study in doubt rendered in ink. Curator: Absolutely, and prints like this circulated widely, shaping how people visualized religious figures. They weren't just art; they were potent tools of belief and iconography. Editor: Looking at it now, it almost feels contemporary. The raw emotion transcends the religious context, don’t you think? Curator: Perhaps that is the magic of Dolendo’s Saint Thomas. It encourages the audience to explore their own perceptions of doubt and faith. Editor: Leaving us with a little bit of Thomas' own beautiful, terrible questioning.