St. Peter from Christ and the Apostles

Art Historical Context

Behold *St. Peter from Christ and the Apostles*, a 1519 woodcut by Hans Baldungrien, a leading German artist of the Northern Renaissance and close associate of Albrecht Dür. Created during the early Reformation era in Strasbourg, this intimate print (just 8¼ × 5 inches) captures the Apostle Peter holding the keys to heaven, symbolizing his pivotal role the first pope and guardian of Christian doctrine. Part of a series depicting Christ and the Apostles, reflects the era's fervor for religious imagery amid theological upheaval. Baldung's woodcut technique shines here: he carved intricate details into the wood block, achieving dramatic contrasts through bold lines and tonal gradations that convey depth and emotion in such a compact format. Woodcuts were revolutionary for their affordability, allowing widespread dissemination of sacred art to the faithful via books and broadsheets—democratizing devotion in pre-Gutenberg printing's heyday. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1924), this work exemplifies Baldung's expressive style, blending Gothic intensity with Renaissance precision. Visitors, imagine St. Peter's solemn gaze inviting reflection on faith's enduring keys!

About the Artist

Hans Baldung (called Hans Baldung Grien) · 1484–1545

Hans Baldung Grien (1484/85–1545), born in Schwäbisch Gmünd into an erudite family of jurists and physicians, forsook academia to pursue art. His early training around 1500 took place in the Upper Rhineland, likely Strasbourg, before he apprenticed under Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg from 1503 to 1507. There, the young artist honed his skills in painting, printmaking, and stained glass, even managin...