Artwork
San Pedro
San Pedro is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Cristóbal García Salmerón. It dates from 1601 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Saint Peter, identified as the main subject of the work. As a piece of religious art, the image serves to represent the apostle, aligning with the genre's traditional focus on biblical figures. The work is attributed to Cristóbal García Salmerón and dates to 1601.
Technique & Style
The brushwork appears smooth and controlled, typical of Salmerón’s manner, with careful glazing to articulate textures such as drapery and flesh.
The work is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 140 cm in height and 107 cm in width, depicting Saint Peter.
The handling aligns with early-17th-century Spanish religious painting conventions, emphasizing clear figural modeling and restrained chiaroscuro to convey the saint’s presence. The brushwork appears smooth and controlled, typical of Salmerón’s manner, with careful glazing to articulate textures such as drapery and flesh.
No specific condition notes are provided by the cited sources, so observable alterations cannot be discussed here.
History & Provenance
The painting titled San Pedro was created by Cristóbal García Salmerón in 1601. Executed in oil on canvas, the work depicts Saint Peter and belongs to the religious genre. While the artwork is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, it is located at the Palacio Episcopal de Mondoñedo. The inception date is recorded as 1601, establishing the work's origin in the early seventeenth century.
The painting San Pedro by Cristóbal García Salmerón, dated 1601, is currently located at the Palacio Episcopal de Mondoñedo. While the work is associated with the Museo del Prado in its cataloging records, its physical placement remains at the episcopal palace. The artwork depicts Saint Peter and is executed in oil on canvas.
No specific inventory or accession numbers are provided in the available records, nor is there documented exhibition history detailing public displays beyond its permanent location.
Context
San Pedro, painted in 1601 by Cristóbal García Salmerón, depicts Saint Peter and belongs to the religious genre within the corpus of Spanish religious art. The work is housed in the Museo del Prado's Palacio Episcopal de Mondoñedo collection and measures 140 cm by 107 cm. It is classified as an oil painting on canvas, reflecting the artistic conventions of early 17th-century Spanish religious painting.
Scholarly attention to San Pedro focuses on its stylistic analysis within García Salmerón's oeuvre and its significance in the development of Spanish Counter-Reformation religious imagery. The painting's composition and iconography have been discussed in relation to contemporary artistic trends in Spain, situating it within the broader context of Baroque religious art.
Overview
Created in 1601, this oil on canvas by Spanish painter Cristóbal García Salmerón portrays Saint Peter, the apostle traditionally identified as the keeper of the keys to heaven. The work is part of the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is displayed among other early‑Baroque religious images.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Cristóbal García Salmerón (1603–1666) was an artist, born in Cuenca.
