Saints in Western painting: who they are, how they are recognised, and the works that depict them.
Matthew's angel, Mark's lion, Luke's ox, John's eagle — the evangelists identified by the creature beside them.
The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints Luke, Dominic, and John the Evangelist
Bartolomeo Passerotti
The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew
Caravaggio
Calling of Saint Matthew
Caravaggio
Saint Matthew and the Angel
Caravaggio
Inspiration of Saint Matthew
Caravaggio
The Basin of Saint Mark’s Square, with San Giorgio and the Giudecca, c.1774 (oil on canvas)
Francesco Guardi
Peter with the keys of the kingdom and Paul with the sword of his beheading, the two princes of the apostles.
Virgin martyrs carrying the instrument that killed them: Catherine's wheel, Barbara's tower, Lucy's eyes, Agnes's lamb.
Sebastian bound and pierced, and Roch showing his wound — the two saints a city prayed to when plague arrived.
Hermits in the wilderness with skull, book and tamed beast: Jerome, Anthony, Paul the Hermit, Mary of Egypt.
George on horseback, Margaret rising from the beast, Martha leading it on a cord — the dragon as defeated evil.
Caravaggio
Barbara Longhi
Enthroned Madonna, Saint Jerome, and St. Sebastian
Carlo Crivelli
Saint Jerome in Meditation
Caravaggio
Correggio
