The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew
The original, as its museum records it
Every line above is reproduced from the holding institution’s own catalogue entry, which is linked. Where their title, date or attribution differs from ours, theirs is the one printed here.
The file this print is made from
Sizes
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View in the galleryAbout this painting
A Greek cross is marked on the altar front, and Matthew, a bearded old man, lies thrown to the ground before it. The Golden Legend puts his death here: after the solemnities of the Mass, King Hirtacus sends a tormentor who strikes him from behind as he stands at the altar, hands raised. The Web Gallery of Art reads the murderer's moment: a Herculean youth seizes the old man's wrist to hold him still for the death-blow, while an angel holds out the martyr's palm.
Two youths crouch at the right, staring. A man leans against a step.
Sources: Saint-Louis-des-Français, Rome, 'Les Caravages', read 2026-09-06 · Web Gallery of Art, Caravaggio, 'The Martyrdom of St Matthew', Contarelli Chapel, commentary, read 2026-09-06 · Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend, 'Saint Matthew', William Caxton's translation (1483), as hosted by christianiconography.info, read 2026-09-06 · Keith Christiansen, 'Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi) (1571–1610) and His Followers', Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 2003, read 2026-09-06 · Wikipedia, 'The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew (Caravaggio)', read 2026-09-06
Printed on demand. Public-domain masterwork, reproduced from a 12,439 px master of the original. The whole image is printed — never cropped to fit the sheet — so every sheet carries an archival margin, and the dimensions and resolution listed above are the ones you receive.