St. Matthew by William Blake captures the energy and wonder with which St. Matthew receives the divinely inspired text, reflecting Blake's own view of artistic inspiration. 

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Although the Bible does not describe the author of the Gospel of Matthew receiving his text through angelic dictation, artists found this an appealing subject for painting. A unique feature of Blake's portrayal is that St. Matthew is not writing as the angel dictates but rather reading from the completed text. Blake himself understood the experience of receiving spiritual dictation, having described instances where he wrote "without premeditation and even against his will."

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Blake was not widely accepted by the fine art establishment. Nevertheless, a small group of patrons recognised his talent and supported commissions that allowed his unconventional visions to flourish. 

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