The Four Evangelists

Jordaens painted The Four Evangelists around 1617, depicting the authors of the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — in a multi-figure composition that demonstrates his early mastery of monumental sacred subject matter. The work belongs to the Counter-Reformation program of Antwerp's religious institutions, for which Jordaens produced numerous altarpieces and devotional canvases alongside his mythological and genre work. His treatment gives each Evangelist a distinctive physical presence and psychological mood, reflecting the Caravaggesque tradition of characterizing sacred figures through robust naturalistic observation. The warm, dense composition anticipates his mature style while showing the careful study of Rubens's religious figure painting that shaped his early career.

The composition groups the four evangelists in an animated discussion, with expressive gestures and focused expressions. Jordaens' warm palette and bold modeling create convincing portraits of intellectual engagement.