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St. Matthew
About the Artwork
The energy and awe with which the evangelist Saint Matthew responds to the angel presenting the divinely inspired text echoes William Blake’s attitude toward artistic inspiration. From childhood Blake experienced visions that are reflected in the otherworldliness of his work. While Blake was not embraced by the fine art establishment, a small group of patrons believed in his genius and commissioned works in which his unusual visions had free rein.
Provenance
1799-1845: Thomas Butts [1757 - 1845], London, by descent to his son, Thomas Butts, Jr. 1845-1862: Thomas Butts, Jr. [died 1862], London by 1863-?: William Michael Rossetti [1829-1919], London by 1876-1892: William Bell Scott [1811-1890], consigned to sale at Sotheby's, London 1892: (Sotheby's, London, July 14, 1892, no. 238, sold to Quaritch) 1892-1893: (Quaritch, sold to E.H. van Ingen for Mrs. William Emerson) 1893-1958: Mrs. William Emerson, consigned to sale at Sotheby's, London 1958: (Sotheby's London, May 19, 1958, no.12, bought by Agnew for Lady Melchett) 1958-1971: Lady Melchett [1928-], sold at Christie's, London 1971-?: (Christie's London, November 9, 1971, no. 71, bought by Piccadilly Gallery) (Piccadilly Gallery, London, sold to Galleria Galatea) (Galleria Galatea, Turin, sold to private collector, Milan) by 1981-?: private collector, Milan 2016-17: (Ben Elwes Fine Art, London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) 2017-: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition history
British Gallery Reinstallation (June 2020). The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
Quick Overview
- Artist
- William Blake (British, 1757–1827)
- Date
- 1799
- Medium
- tempera on canvas
- Dimensions
- Overall: 38.5 x 26.5 cm (15 3/16 x 10 7/16 in.)
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- European Painting and Sculpture
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
- Accession no.
- 2017.4
More by William Blake in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00009283
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