Church of Our Lady The Calling of Matthew Jacob van Oost I 1640 - Bruges Oil on panel Matthew was a tax collector. One day, Jesus walked by and told him 'Come and follow me'. Jacob van Oost portrays this moment beautifully. From the edge of the composition, Jesus beckons to Matthew, who is seated at a table, surrounded by his co-workers. Matthew's hand rests on his chest and he is looking up in surprise. 'Do you mean me?', he seems to be saying. Most of the other characters in the painting are unaware of what just happened and continue to go work diligently. The young man in the foreground did hear Jesus, however, and also seems to want to get up. Matthew decides to follow Jesus and become one of his twelve apostles. This work is based on a Caravaggio painting that Jacob van Oost had seen in Rome.
The Markt, Historium Bruges Museum Fictional characters tell a story in medieval Bruges at this unique museum with audio guides.
