Description
This small panel shows Saint Matthias half-length, holding a green book and wearing a reddish mantle. The apostle’s name is written on either side of his head, encircled by a punched halo against gold.
The panel belonged to a group of apostles from a now-dismembered altarpiece. The Metropolitan Museum of Art attributes the execution to Simone Martini’s workshop, probably after the master’s designs. It is preserved in New York.
Matthias's expression becomes more meaningful when we follow the direction of his gaze. He does not respond to a narrative event within his panel, nor does he confront the visitor directly. Instead, the slight turn of his head suggests a relationship with neighbouring figures. In a series of apostles, such changes of posture create individual identities while maintaining a common visual order. The small panel was therefore conceived to be read alongside others.
