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Saint Mark writing his Gospel by Hendrick ter Brugghen

Saint Mark writing his Gospel

Hendrick ter Brugghen · 1621

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“Stop and observe Saint Mark's intense focus as he writes his Gospel, dramatically lit to emphasize his profound concentration. This work showcases the powerful light and shadow techniques of the Utrecht Caravaggisti.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

In this painting, Saint Mark is caught in a moment of intense concentration, his brow furrowed as he looks up from the pages of his Gospel. The strong, raking light from an unseen source on the left illuminates his face and the parchment he holds, creating dramatic contrasts of light and shadow. His right hand, poised with a quill, suggests a pause in his writing, perhaps in thought or seeking divine inspiration. This powerful use of light and shadow, known as tenebrism, is a hallmark of the Utrecht Caravaggisti, a group of Dutch painters who drew inspiration from the Italian master Caravaggio. The work’s focus on a single, contemplative figure in a stark setting emphasizes the spiritual weight of his task. Created in 1621, this painting exemplifies the period's interest in depicting religious figures with a striking sense of human presence and emotion.

DETAILS
Artist
Hendrick ter Brugghen
Date
1621
Medium
Oil on canvas
Location
Museum De Waag
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Saint Mark writing his Gospel

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01

Absorbed face

The white-haired head bows low, with deep wrinkles and a long grey beard. His heavy concentration makes the act of reading feel private and real.

1 of 5 on the painting
02

Lit shoulder and back

Light rakes across the old man's bare shoulder, back and upper arm, picking out tight muscle and bone. The deep shadow beside it makes him feel solid and real.

2 of 5 on the painting
03

Hands on the book

One hand steadies the open pages while the other rests on the book's lower edge, both with rough, worn fingers. They look like a working scholar's hands, not an ideal saint's.

3 of 5 on the painting
04

The skull

At lower left, a pale skull sits at the table's edge. Skulls in scholar and penitent scenes often serve as a reminder that life is short.

4 of 5 on the painting
05

The snarling lion

At lower right, the lion's face lunges out of the dark with bared teeth and glinting eyes. The lion is Mark's traditional emblem, yet here it feels startlingly close and alive.

5 of 5 on the painting
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THE ARTIST

Hendrick ter Brugghen

1588–1629 · Dutch Republic

Hendrick ter Brugghen brought Caravaggio's dramatic light and emotional realism from Italy to the Dutch Republic, profoundly shaping Dutch Golden Age painting.

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MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by ter Brugghen

1 / 2
The Calling of Saint Matthew The Calling of Saint Matthew 1609 · Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest Pilate washing his hands Pilate washing his hands 1617 · National Museum in Lublin Roman Charity Roman Charity 1622 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Saint Jerome Saint Jerome 1624 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Saint John writing his Gospel Saint John writing his Gospel 1621 · Museum De Waag A Boy Playing the Lute ("Hearing", One of a Series of the Five Senses) A Boy Playing the Lute ("Hearing", One of a Series of the Five Senses) 1620 · Nationalmuseum A Girl Holding a Glass ("Taste", One of a Series of the Five Senses) A Girl Holding a Glass ("Taste", One of a Series of the Five Senses) 1620 · Nationalmuseum Boy Playing a Fife Boy Playing a Fife 1620 · Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
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More works to explore

Beyond ter Brugghen: works from the same years.

Boy with a Lute Same era · 1600s–1630s Boy with a Lute Frans Hals · 1620 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art St. Albert of Louvain Same era · 1600s–1630s St. Albert of Louvain Peter Paul Rubens · 1620 · Art Institute of Chicago Kitchen Scene Same era · 1600s–1630s Kitchen Scene Diego Velázquez · 1618 · Art Institute of Chicago Musical Company Same era · 1600s–1630s Musical Company Rembrandt · 1626 · Museum De Lakenhal The Adoration of the Shepherds Same era · 1600s–1630s The Adoration of the Shepherds El Greco · 1610 Southern Barbarians Same era · 1600s–1630s Southern Barbarians Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen · 1625 · Art Institute of Chicago An Elegant Company Same era · 1600s–1630s An Elegant Company Samuel Alcock & Company · 1632 · Art Institute of Chicago Winter Landscape with Snowfall near Antwerp Same era · 1600s–1630s Winter Landscape with Snowfall near Antwerp Jan Brueghel the Elder · 1610
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