Artwork
Saint Peter Repentant
Saint Peter Repentant is an oil painting by the Caravaggisti artist Georges de La Tour. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The chiaroscuro illumination emphasizes the emotional intensity of his repentance, symbolizing spiritual awakening and the possibility of redemption.
The work portrays Saint Peter in the moment of penitence following his denial of Christ, a scene drawn from the biblical prediction of his betrayal. De La Tour renders the aged apostle seated, hands clasped in prayer, tears glistening as he gazes at a lit lantern at his feet, while a rooster perches nearby, recalling the prophetic crow of the cock. The chiaroscuro illumination emphasizes the emotional intensity of his repentance, symbolizing spiritual awakening and the possibility of redemption. This iconography links personal remorse with divine forgiveness, a theme central to Counter‑Reformation devotional art.
Technique & Style
Created in 1645, Saint Peter Repentant is executed in oil paint on a canvas support, measuring 114 by 95 centimeters. The work is a vertical-format religious painting characterized by the artist's mastery of chiaroscuro, a technique using strong contrasts between light and dark to model form and create drama. The composition relies on a single light source, a lantern placed at the figure's feet, which illuminates the apostle's tearful expression and clasped hands while casting the surrounding area into deep shadow.
This handling of light emphasizes the spiritual intensity of Peter's repentance following his denial of Christ. The painting's formal qualities include the inclusion of a rooster, a symbolic reminder of the prophecy, positioned beside the praying figure. The work has remained in stable condition since its acquisition by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1951.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1645, Saint Peter Repentant is attributed to Georges de La Tour and depicts the apostle in penitence after his denial of Christ. The work first appears in modern records with London dealers Spink and Son, then passed through Pinakos Inc. and M. Knoedler & Co. before entering the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1951 as accession 1951.454. The painting’s clear attribution and dating are supported by internal documentation and French scholarly sources, which concur on the 1645 execution date and its religious subject rendered in chiaroscuro.
Painted in 1645, Georges de La Tour's Saint Peter Repentant has been part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection in Cleveland, Ohio, since 1951. The work is identified within the institution by the accession number 1951.454. Prior to its acquisition by the museum, the painting passed through the hands of several dealers, including Spink and Son, Pinakos Inc, and M. Knoedler & Co.
While the artwork has a recorded exhibition history linked to specific institutional events, the provided records confirm its long-term residence in Cleveland following its mid-20th-century purchase.
Legacy
The painting, completed in 1645 by Georges de La Tour, entered the Cleveland Museum of Art collection in 1951 and has been featured in documented exhibitions, underscoring its recognized stature. Its mastery of chiaroscuro and the emotive portrayal of Saint Peter’s repentance have been highlighted in scholarly discussions of French Baroque art, shaping contemporary understanding of the genre and influencing later interpretations of religious subjects.
Overview
Georges de La Tour's 1645 oil painting, Saint Peter Repentant, captures a moment of profound introspection. The French Baroque artist, active in Lorraine, rendered this religious subject with characteristic intensity. The work is currently housed in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Georges de La Tour (French pronunciation:; 13 March 1593 – 30 January 1652) was a French Baroque painter, who spent most of his working life in the Duchy of Lorraine, which was temporarily absorbed into France between 1641 and 1648.
