St Matthew
Panel
1440-1460 (made)
1440-1460 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This Apostle probably comes from the upper part of a rood-screen and is one of twelve panels held in the Museum said to have come from a church in the town or province of Zamora, Spain (inv.nos. A.148 to 159-1922). The Apostles would have stood in a line just below the rood (a large figure of the crucified Christ). Each figure is identified by the inscription on his scroll and by a specific attribute, or symbol. Here St Matthew holds the emblem of his martyrdom, a halberd (a combined spear and battle-axe) in his left hand.
The carving of alabaster, mostly quarried in Tutbury and Chellaston near Nottingham, took on industrial proportions in England between the middle of the 14th and the early 16th centuries. The market for altarpieces and smaller devotional images was a large one. It included not only religious foundations but also the merchant classes. Many hundreds of English alabasters were exported, some as far afield as Iceland and Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
Alabaster - a form of gypsum - is a comparatively soft material and is therefore easy to carve. It can also be polished. Its natural colour was especially useful for the representation of faces and flesh, which would normally remain unpainted.
The carving of alabaster, mostly quarried in Tutbury and Chellaston near Nottingham, took on industrial proportions in England between the middle of the 14th and the early 16th centuries. The market for altarpieces and smaller devotional images was a large one. It included not only religious foundations but also the merchant classes. Many hundreds of English alabasters were exported, some as far afield as Iceland and Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
Alabaster - a form of gypsum - is a comparatively soft material and is therefore easy to carve. It can also be polished. Its natural colour was especially useful for the representation of faces and flesh, which would normally remain unpainted.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | St Matthew (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved, painted and gilt alabaster |
| Brief description | Alabaster panel depicting St Matthew. English, 1440-1460. |
| Physical description | The panel has a plain border on each vertical side, and a base showing three facets in front. The haloed figure of St. Matthew, with a forked beard and wearing a gown and a cloak draped from the left shoulder, holds his emblem, a halberd, in his left hand. In his right hand he holds a painted scroll (reading downwards) with the phrase of the Apostles' Creed usually assigned to St. James the Less: part of it reads: 'Scam Sct comunionem' (the communion of saints). The panel is cracked across the middle of the saint's body. Part of the blade of the halberd and the saint's toes are missing. The scroll is chipped. The upper background is gilt with the remains of gesso knobs. The green foreground is decorated with the usual daisy pattern. Red paint remains in the lining of the saint's cloak. The halo has alternating straight and wavy green lines separated by red spots. The capital letter of the inscription is red, the rest black. The hair and beard of the saint, the borders of his robe and cloak and the sprigs that decorate the cloak are gilt. Details of the eyes are painted. The back of the panel bears two lead-plugged holes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label | Gothic
The Twelve Apostles
About 1450
The Apostles probably come from the upper part of a rood-screen. They would have stood in a line just below the rood (a large figure of the crucified Christ). Each figure is identified by the inscription on his scroll and by a specific attribute, or symbol.
Alabaster, with substantial traces of painting and gilding.
V&A: A.148 to 159-1922. Gift of the National Art Collections Fund
Cat. 267(2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Art Fund |
| Object history | From a church either in the town of Zamora in Spain or in the province of Zamora. One of the 12 panels of the Apostles' Creed Altarpiece. Latterly in the possession of G. Thomas. Gift to the Museum from the National Art Collections Fund in 1922. Historical significance: Figures of St. Matthew in English alabaster are not common. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This Apostle probably comes from the upper part of a rood-screen and is one of twelve panels held in the Museum said to have come from a church in the town or province of Zamora, Spain (inv.nos. A.148 to 159-1922). The Apostles would have stood in a line just below the rood (a large figure of the crucified Christ). Each figure is identified by the inscription on his scroll and by a specific attribute, or symbol. Here St Matthew holds the emblem of his martyrdom, a halberd (a combined spear and battle-axe) in his left hand. The carving of alabaster, mostly quarried in Tutbury and Chellaston near Nottingham, took on industrial proportions in England between the middle of the 14th and the early 16th centuries. The market for altarpieces and smaller devotional images was a large one. It included not only religious foundations but also the merchant classes. Many hundreds of English alabasters were exported, some as far afield as Iceland and Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. Alabaster - a form of gypsum - is a comparatively soft material and is therefore easy to carve. It can also be polished. Its natural colour was especially useful for the representation of faces and flesh, which would normally remain unpainted. |
| Associated objects |
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| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.156-1922 |
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| Record created | December 6, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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