One of the Set of the Four Evangelists: John

Alessandro Vittoria was a dominant figure in Venetian art during the last quarter of the 16th century. The Art Institute's four sculptures, made with verve and assurance, served as models for bronze statuettes that were apparently never executed. The bronzes would have adorned niches in a tabernacle or altar, as is suggested by the summary treatment of their backs. Their poses suggest an ordering, from left to right, of Luke, Mark, Matthew, and John. The presence of their symbols—a bull for Luke, a lion for Mark, an angel for Matthew, and an eagle for John—highlights their role as divinely inspired writers of the four gospels.