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Jacopo di Cione

The Taking of Saint Peter, 1370-1371

Now On View

Description

Maker

Title

The Taking of Saint Peter

Year

1370-1371

Medium

Tempera and gold on panel

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Supports

Dimensions

38.7 x 54 cm (15 1/4 x 21 1/4 inches)

Type

Credit

Gift of Manton B. Metcalf

Object Number

22.047

About

This dramatic narrative depicts the moment at which the Roman governor Herod-Agrippa, appearing on the loggia of his palace in Jerusalem, commands the arrest of Saint Peter. The soldiers assembled in Herod’s courtyard quickly respond to his orders, while Peter, facing forward, raises his right hand in a gesture that suggests both resignation and benediction.
The panel was one of a sequence of scenes from the life of Saint Peter that originally appeared in the lower register (predella) of a massive altarpiece designed for the church of San Pier Maggiore in Florence. The story of Peter’s arrest was the first in the series and was paired with a panel showing his liberation from prison that is now in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Related panels exist in the Vatican Museums, while the upper sections of the altarpiece are now in the National Gallery, London.

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

European Galleries

This painting was part of a predella, the lower portion of a multi-part altarpiece commissioned for the church of San Pier Maggiore in Florence. In this scene the Roman governor commands Peter’s arrest. As soldiers seize Peter, he raises his right hand in a gesture that suggests both benediction and resignation. In its original setting, this painting and the many images that accompanied it presented a complex narrative. Hung in a dim space and lit by candles, the complete altarpiece would have offered worshippers a visually and spiritually powerful experience.

For this important commission, Jacopo di Cione’s workshop employed numerous artists who specialized in painting, carving, and gilding.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is The Taking of Saint Peter with the accession number of 22.047. To request a higher resolution file, please submit an online request.