Saint Peter holding a large open book, keys by his side, from "Christ and the Apostles"
ca. 1548–50
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 8 11/16 x 4 5/16 in. (22 x 11 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.70.3(158)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Andrea Schiavone (also known as Andrea Meldola), a Venetian artist active during the mid-sixteenth century, created this elegant etching around 1548–50 as part of his series “Christ and the Apostles.” The work depicts Saint Peter, the first pope, holding a large open book while his symbolic keys rest nearby. Rendered in the delicate, fluid lines characteristic of early Italian etching, the figure conveys both authority and quiet contemplation, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of faith and teaching. Etching was a relatively new printmaking medium at the time, allowing artists like Schiavo...
About the Artist
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) · 1510–1563
Andrea Schiavone, born Andrea Meldolla around 1510 or 1515 in Zara (modern Zadar, Croatia), in Venetian-ruled Dalmatia, hailed from a family rooted in Meldola near Forlì in Romagna, Emilia-Romagna. His father, Simon Meldolla, served as a garrison commander there, and both parents originated from Meldola, where the family held property into the early 16th century. Nicknamed "Schiavone"—"the Slav"—a...