Saint Peter in prayer, looking upwards and to the right

Art Historical Context

Behold *Saint Peter in Prayer, Looking Upwards and to Right*, a captivating etching from 1656–60, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawings and Prints department. Created through a remarkable collaboration, it draws on the masterful vision of Jusepe deera—known as "Lo Spagnoletto" for his Spanish origins and small stature—while involving Flemish artists David Teniers the Younger and engraver Lucas Vorsterman. Ribera, a leading figure in the Neapolitan Baroque, specialized in tenebrist realism, using stark light and shadow to evoke profound emotion, perfectly suiting this intimate portrayal of the apostle Peter in devout contemplation. The etching medium was revolutionary in the 17th century, allowing intricate details—like the saint's furrowed brow, clasped hands, and upward gaze—to be reproduced with exceptional fidelity on a modest sheet (8 3/8 × 6 7/16 in.). Vorsterman's precise burin work captures Ribera's dramatic chiaroscuro, translating painting into print for wider dissemination during the Counter-Reformation era, when images of saints inspired personal piety across Europe. This work exemplifies the era's artistic exchange between Spain, Naples, and the Spanish Netherlands, highlighting printmaking's role in spreading Baroque spirituality. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1962, it invites visitors to ponder Peter's moment of heavenly communion, a timeless emblem of faith amid life's trials.