Martyrdom of the Apostles: Martyrdom of Saint Matthias

Stefan Lochner painted this Martyrdom of Saint Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. According to tradition, Matthias was martyred by stoning and beheading. Lochner's systematic approach to the apostle cycle provided each martyr with an individualized death scene within a consistent aesthetic framework. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with Lochner's characteristic Cologne school technique. The martyrdom is rendered with refined coloring and balanced composition despite the violent subject matter.