Saint Peter, keys in right hand, book in left, facing right, from "Piccoli Santi" (Small Saints)
Original title: Saint Peter, keys in right hand, book in left, facing right, from "Piccoli Santi" (Small Saints)
kurzbeschreibung
This small engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi, made around 1500–27, presents Saint Peter as a half-length figure seen from behind, turned to the right. He holds a set of keys in his right hand and a book in his left. The sheet belongs to the 'Piccoli Santi' series and is printed in the engraving technique.
Description
Peter appears from the back, his curly hair and halo marking him as a saint. A long-sleeved tunic with fine folds and a cloak draped over his shoulder clothe the figure. His right hand holds a chain of keys, his left a book; his feet are bare. A door and a section of an interior form the plain setting, with the figure placed centrally. The black-and-white strokes vary in thickness, modelling texture and form.
Context
Marcantonio Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, is best known for his reproductive prints after Raphael. The 'Piccoli Santi' series was produced around 1500–27 and gathers small-scale depictions of saints. Such devotional images served private use and circulated widely. Raimondi worked in Rome and left a lasting mark on printmaking.
Impact
The rear view creates an unusual distance from the viewer, while the finely graded lines sustain a quiet, contemplative mood. A clearly ordered layout and the precise rendering of textiles and attributes give the sheet a precise, almost sculptural quality.
Technique
Lines incised into a metal plate and then printed on paper — that is how an engraving is made. Varying line thickness produces sculptural shading and textures. The small format of 8.2 x 4.9 cm demanded a fine, controlled engraving technique.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)