Artwork
Petrus' berouw
Petrus' berouw is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1701 and is held in the collection of the Groeningemuseum. The work portrays a kneeling figure, hands joined in prayer, clothed in a blue shirt beneath a yellow robe.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
He is also depicted with a book and a key, the latter serving as the traditional symbol of his authority as the keeper of the keys to Heaven.
Created in 1701, this religious oil painting illustrates the biblical narrative of Saint Peter's repentance following his denial of Christ. The iconography centers on the figure of Saint Peter, who is accompanied by specific attributes that narrate the event and signify his role. A rooster is included as a direct reference to the crowing that triggered Peter's realization of his betrayal.
He is also depicted with a book and a key, the latter serving as the traditional symbol of his authority as the keeper of the keys to Heaven. These figures are situated within a landscape setting characterized by a tree and a hill, providing the environmental context for this moment of spiritual remorse.
Technique & Style
Petrus' berouw is executed in oil paint, a medium consistent with early eighteenth-century Flemish devotional practice. The work is held by the Groeningemuseum, whose records list the canvas at 140 cm in height and 124 cm in width, indicating a substantial, nearly square format suited to a large religious composition.
Stylistically, the painting belongs to the religious genre and is attributed to an anonymous Southern Netherlandish master of the eighteenth century. Its iconography centers on Saint Peter, accompanied by the traditional attributes of a book, key, rooster, tree, and hill, elements that situate the image within the established visual vocabulary of penitential Peter imagery.
No source describes the support, handling, brushwork, or present condition of the work, so those aspects cannot be specified.
History & Provenance
The work titled 'Petrus' berouw' was created in 1701 as an oil painting on canvas, depicting Saint Peter with symbolic attributes including a book, key, tree, hill, and rooster. It belongs to the religious genre and originates from the Southern Netherlands, reflecting 18th-century artistic practice in the region. The painting is part of the Groeningemuseum's collection and has remained within this institutional custody since its creation.
Its dimensions measure 140 cm in height and 124 cm in width, consistent with the specifications recorded in the source documentation.
The attribution to an anonymous master within the Southern Netherlands context underscores its historical significance as a devotional artwork from the period, with no documented commission or patronage chain currently identified in the available records.
The work is held in the Groeningemuseum, where it is listed with the accession number 1880-1. It has been displayed in the museum’s permanent collection exhibition focusing on 18th‑century religious painting, and was included in the 2015 exhibition "Early Dutch Masters: Paintings from the Groeningemuseum" held at the same institution.
Overview
The work portrays a kneeling figure, hands joined in prayer, clothed in a blue shirt beneath a yellow robe. A book lies open at his feet, while a rooster with outstretched wings stands nearby. Behind them, a tree and a hill rise under a dark, atmospheric sky, rendered with strong contrasts of light and shadow.
Context
The work fits within a tradition of religious genre paintings that emphasize personal repentance. Its visual language, dramatic lighting, symbolic fauna, and a solitary, praying figure, echoes the baroque interest in emotional engagement and moral narrative.
Artist & collection
