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The Denial of Peter

German 15th Century

1460

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

The Denial of Peter is a 1460 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: German 15th Century
When & what style?: 1460 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This faded panel shows three figures in a dim room. A robed man in red stands on the left, gesturing toward a bearded figure in a halo—likely Jesus—who’s speaking to a third man, Peter, kneeling in the corner. The background has simple arches and a greenish wall. Colors are dull, with reds and browns peeking through wear. The scene looks like a moment from a religious story. The artist used woodblocks for the lines, then added color by hand, which makes the image feel both rough and deliberate. Next, check out woodcut to see how this printing method worked.