New Testament Writers
The writers of the New Testament of course played a critical role in Christian history. Oertel was aware of this and sought to memorialize them in art.
The Four Evangelists depicts the writers of the Gospels, the biographies of Jesus in the New Testament. Each of these writers is portrayed in its own framed section. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are presented in order, from left to right. Each man is paired with his traditional symbol, a winged man for Matthew, a winged lion for Mark, a winged ox for Luke, and an eagle for John.
Oertel also painted St. Paul, the earliest and most prolific writer in the New Testament. This is a portrait of St. Paul as a weary but stern man. An early convert to Christianity, St. Paul wrote many of the books included in the New Testament. The scroll in the lower left corner probably represents his writings.