St. Matthew, from Christ and the Apostles

Art Historical Context

Behold *St. Matthew, from and the Apostles*, a 16th-century engraving1530–76) to the collaborative talents of Lambert Suavius, Lambert, and Jakob Andreas Frid the Elder. This print now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Drawings and Prints, forms part of a revered series depicting Christ and his apostles. Its medium—engraving, with a backing print by J.A. Fridrich—highlights the innovative techniques of the Renaissance era, where metal plates were incised to produce detailed, reproducible images that democratized religious art for a wider audience. Engravings like this one were pivotal in Northern European art during the 1500s, bridging painting and mass dissemination amid the Reformation's religious fervor. St. Matthew, one of the four evangelists and patron saint of accountants, is portrayed as a thoughtful male figure, embodying scriptural authority and human introspection. Lambert Lombard, a key Netherlandish engraver, infused such works with precise linework and narrative depth, making complex theology accessible. Acquired through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection via the Elisha Whittelsey Fund in 1949, this piece exemplifies the Met's commitment to preserving printmaking heritage. Visitors will appreciate its layered history—both artistically and physically backed—offering a window into how faith and craftsmanship intertwined in early modern Europe.

About the Artist

Lambert Suavius|Lambert Lombard|Jakob Andreas Fridrich the Elder · 1510–1576

Lambert Suavius (c.1510–c.1574/76), whose Flemish family name was Zutman, was born in Liège, in the southern Netherlands. He was the son of an episcopal goldsmith, Henri Zutman, and from his father's craft environment he inherited a training in the precise handling of metal and an appreciation for fine detail work. He became closely associated with his brother-in-law Lambert Lombard, the leading a...