This painting by the Flemish painter Jacob Jordaens, a work of the artist’s early period, was painted in 1620.

Jacob Jordaens, an artist of the Flemish school, worked in everyday and portrait genres, as well as genres of religious, historical and mythological painting.

Powerful, convincing images of the four evangelists Mark, Matthew, Luke and John are as if molded with paint. Evangelists contemplate Holy Scripture, which, in turn, served as a source of inspiration for their own writing. Before us are people who have lived a life full of difficulties, whitened with gray hairs, three of them are old and wise. Against their background, the youth of the younger evangelist, John, is especially noticeable.

Although, according to legend, John lived to a ripe old age (110 years), in Western European art he was most often depicted as a gentle, beardless youth, balanced and calm.

The holy apostles in the picture are immersed in the study of the text of the Bible. They will become the authors of the books of the New Testament, which tell about the earthly life of Jesus Christ. The figures of the evangelists occupy almost the entire space of the picture, the depth of which is given by their diagonal position and the gap of the distant sky, visible behind the red curtain.