Artwork
Saint Peter
Saint Peter is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1610 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The subject is visually identified by the inclusion of a key, a traditional attribute symbolizing the saint's role as the keeper of the keys to Heaven.
The painting depicts Saint Peter, the central figure of this religious work created by Peter Paul Rubens in 1610. The subject is visually identified by the inclusion of a key, a traditional attribute symbolizing the saint's role as the keeper of the keys to Heaven. As a piece of religious art, the work focuses on the apostle as its main subject, presenting him within a devotional context.
The iconography relies on this specific symbolic object to establish the identity and spiritual authority of the figure portrayed.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel support measuring 107 cm in height and 82 cm in width. Rubens employs a painterly handling characterized by fluid, layered brushwork and subtle tonal transitions to model Saint Peter’s robust form and drapery. The composition emphasizes the saint’s aged physiognomy and expressive gaze, rendered with volumetric solidity and a restrained baroque dynamism.
The figure’s right hand, holding the keys, is depicted with careful anatomical attention, while the left rests on a book, suggesting both apostolic authority and scholarly reflection.
History & Provenance
Peter Paul Rubens created the oil-on-panel painting Saint Peter in 1610. The work depicts the apostle holding a key and is classified as religious art. The painting entered the Spanish royal collection, where it was successively owned by Philip V of Spain, Elisabeth Farnese, Charles III of Spain, and Ferdinand VII of Spain.
It is currently held by the Museo del Prado, having been associated with the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso at various points in its history.
The painting Saint Peter by Peter Paul Rubens is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. According to records, the work has been associated with several locations connected to the museum's holdings, including the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso. Historically, the artwork was owned by Spanish monarchs such as Philip V, Elisabeth Farnese, Charles III, and Ferdinand VII.
The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the piece, nor do they list any exhibition history for the work.
Overview
Created in 1610, this oil painting portrays Saint Peter, the apostle traditionally linked to the keys of heaven. The figure is rendered with a solemn expression, his gaze directed upward, set against a darkened backdrop that emphasizes his illuminated form.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ROO-bənz; Dutch:; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat.
