The artwork titled “The Apostle Matthew” was created by the artist Duccio during the time period of 1308 to 1311. This piece is executed on wood using tempera as the medium. The painting belongs to the Proto Renaissance art movement, which is known for its significant changes in art marking the transition from medieval to Renaissance styles. This religious painting is part of the “Maesta” series, showcasing sacred Christian themes.
In the painting, we see a portrait of the Apostle Matthew, represented in a traditional Byzantine style with a gold halo around his head, suggesting his sainthood and divine inspiration. He has a full, greying beard and is depicted with naturalistic facial features that convey a sense of wisdom and serenity. Matthew is clad in a vibrant red tunic with a deep blue cloak draped over his shoulders, signifying his apostolic status. He gestures toward his heart with one hand, which may symbolize the sincerity and devoutness of his faith, while in the other hand, he firmly holds a richly decorated book, likely representing the Gospel of Matthew. The background is minimalistic, utilizing gold leaf to create an ethereal and timeless space around the figure. Despite the age of the painting, evidenced by the visible cracks in the wood and the paint, the colors remain vivid, and the details, such as the intricate folds of the garments, are finely executed. The text accompanying the figure is written in an elegant script, but without identifying specific words, it can be inferred as part of the traditional iconography and might be identifying the figure as the titular saint.
