How did Carolingian painters revive and innovate upon Roman artistic conventions? To explain your answer, compare and contrast the page with Matthew the Evangelist from the Coronation Gospels and the page with Matthew the Evangelist from the Ebbo Gospels.

What will be an ideal response?

The ideal Answer should include:
1. The portrait of Matthew from the Coronation Gospels depicts an idealized, lifelike representation consistent with the Greco-Roman Classical tradition.
2. The full-bodied, robed figure is modeled in white and subtle shading and the way his foot lifts up to rest on the solid base of his writing desk emphasizes his three-dimensional placement within an outdoor setting.
3. Unlike the calm grandeur of the portrait in the Coronation Gospels, the portrait of Matthew in the Ebbo Gospels is a spontaneous, calligraphic painting.
4. The expressionism of Matthew's intense gaze, wiry hairdo, rippling drapery, and sketchy background evokes the evangelist's spiritual excitement as he hastens to transcribe the Word of God delivered by the angel in the upper-right corner.