The Incredulity of Thomas

The painting shows in a demonstrative gesture how the doubting apostle puts his finger into Christ's side wound, the latter guiding his hand.  The composition of the picture is such that the viewer is directly involved in the event and feels the intensity of the process.

The light falling on Christ emphasizes his physicality and at the same time suggests his divinity and significance.

Maerten de Vos, Maerten de Vos the Elder or Marten de Vos (1532 – 1603) was a Flemish painter. He is known mainly for his history and allegorical paintings and portraits. He was, together with the brothers Ambrosius Francken I and Frans Francken I, one of the leading history painters in the Spanish Netherlands.

De Vos' work shows a strong influence of the colors of the Venetians. The 17th-century Italian artist biographer Carlo Ridolfi wrote that de Vos worked in the studio of Tintoretto in Venice, which would explain this influence.

Maerten de Vos was principally a painter of religious scenes and to a lesser extent of mythological and allegorical themes. He was also an accomplished portrait painter

This De Vos painting is oil on panel, measures 207 × 185,2 cm and is housed in Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp .  It shows the episode that gave rise to the term "Doubting Thomas"  According to the Gospel of John, Thomas the Apostle missed one of Jesus's appearances to the Apostles after his resurrection, and said "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."  A week later, Jesus appeared and told Thomas to touch him and stop doubting. Then Jesus said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."