A bearded saint stands in a stone niche. He holds a book and a pen: he is one of the Four Evangelists, the authors of the Gospels -- possibly Saint Mark. Although a saint, he has no halo or attribute; he looks more like a Roman philosopher. The quiet stone, the saint's abstracted and unfocused gaze and the clear morning light make him seem removed from the cares of this world. This is one of two panels featuring evangelists from a multi-panelled altarpiece. Another panel, showing Saint Sebastian, is also in the National Gallery's collection. We are not sure when or where it was made, but it was probably painted in around 1500.