Roundel with Saint Peter

Art Historical Context

This roundel, created around 1520 in the South Netherlands, captures Saint Peter in a luminous circle of colorless glass. Measuring just under ten inches across, it was likely designed for a domestic or ecclesiastical window, where light would animate its painted details. The saint is shown holding his traditional keys, symbols of authority granted by Christ, alongside a coat of arms that may identify a donor or institution. Crafted with vitreous paint and silver stain, the roundel demonstrates a refined Netherlandish technique of the early sixteenth century. Artists applied silver compounds that turned golden-yellow when fired, allowing delicate modeling of figures and drapery without the need for colored glass pieces. This method offered greater freedom for narrative scenes and heraldic motifs, blending devotional imagery with personal or civic identity. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Cloisters, the work reflects the rich tradition of stained-glass production in the Low Countries during the Renaissance. Its intimate scale and luminous quality invite viewers to appreciate both the technical skill and the spiritual resonance of such portable devotional objects.