Saints Matthias and Thomas
ca. 1350
Medium
Tempera on wood, gold ground
Dimensions
Overall, exclusive of modern frame additions, 20 7/8 x 18 1/8 in. (53 x 46 cm); painted surface 17 1/2 x 16 3/4 in. (44.5 x 42.5 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Saints Matthias and Thomas**ca. 1350 Bartolomeo Bulgarini (Italian, Sienese, active ca. 1340–73) In the elegant tradition of 14th-century Sien painting, Bartolomeo Bulgarini'sSaints Matthias and Thomas captures the devotional spirit of late Gothic Italy. Created around 1350 using tempera on wood with a shimmering gold ground, this panel exemplifies the refined techniques of the Sienese school, influenced by masters like Simone Martini. The gold leaf background, meticulously punched and tooled, evokes heavenly radiance, drawing the viewer's eye to the saints—Matthias, who replaced Judas ...