'Calling of St Matthew' by Caravaggio, namely Who Is Who in the Painting and How Do We Know This? Cover Image

„Powołanie św. Mateusza” Caravaggia, czyli kto jest kim w obrazie i skąd to wiadomo?
'Calling of St Matthew' by Caravaggio, namely Who Is Who in the Painting and How Do We Know This?

Author(s): Jarosław Jarzewicz
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Visual Arts, 16th Century, 17th Century, History of Art
Published by: Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Caravaggio; Calling of St Matthew; interpretation; religious painting;

Summary/Abstract: Caravaggio's painting Calling of St Matthew has been inciting vivid interest since its creation. Additionally, it is one of those works whose studying has been perfecting the methodology of art history. Despite the painting's extensive studies what has remained controversial is such a basic issue as the identification of the protagonist: which of the figures in the painting is Matthew? Such a situation questions the appropriateness of to-date applied interpretation methods. This very issue is analysed against a general background: how do we know who is who in the painting, and a new justification of the traditional identification based on the presumptions resulting from the work's contexts has been proposed.

  • Issue Year: 82/2020
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 337-365
  • Page Count: 29
  • Language: Polish