7 o’clock. Three bags of money. Matthew the tax collector. As mentioned earlier, Matthew, like many of the apostles, is represented in art by a number of different symbols. The winged man is use to represent him as a Gospel writer. Here, three bags of money are used to represent him as the apostle who was a tax collector.
I cannot find a clear account for Matthew’s martyrdom. My favorite painter from the Baroque period, Caravaggio, depicts The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew showing the use of a sword. It is an impressive piece of art from a master.
Baroque. Paintings from the Baroque period are intense. The lighting generally has one strong light source with very little fill lighting. The result is contrast, highlights and deep shadows. Typically the scene captures a moment of drama, intense emotion, or movement. The Baroque style fits well with the martyrdom theme.
In part 12, we move to James the Lessor at the 8 o’clock position