拍品专文
This canvas shows one of the most emotive scenes of the New Testament, which became a canonical subject for painters in Spain and Italy during the 17th century. During the Last Supper, Jesus predicted that before the cock crowed twice in the morning, Saint Peter would deny him three times. Here, the repentant saint sits in grieved contemplation following Christ’s arrest, tears gathering in his eyes and on his cheeks, his face turned toward heaven and illuminated from above.
Ribera and his studio painted a number of works of the Penitent Saint Peter, with two versions of almost identical size to this canvas. In 2010, Professor Nicola Spinosa proposed that it be attributed in full to Ribera on the basis of first-hand inspection, comparing it to those painted during the artist’s early maturity in Naples in the later 1620s or early 1630s.
Ribera and his studio painted a number of works of the Penitent Saint Peter, with two versions of almost identical size to this canvas. In 2010, Professor Nicola Spinosa proposed that it be attributed in full to Ribera on the basis of first-hand inspection, comparing it to those painted during the artist’s early maturity in Naples in the later 1620s or early 1630s.