Exhibition Piece 3

 Crucifixion of Saint Peter-Caravaggio (c.1600).jpg

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Crucifixion of St. Peter, 1601, oil on canvas (Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome)


Here we have another Caravaggio oil painting. This painting was painted in 1601 and it is 203 cm x 175 cm. This painting evokes a lot of emotions as you can see just by looking at it. This painting has a lot going on. To start let’s dive into the color scheme. This painting has a dark black background, which can lead you to believe this painting took place around nighttime. There are four figures in this image. There is a man in the bottom left corner wearing a white shirt and beige pants. He is bending down with his face hidden. Then there is the man in the middle. This man is hanging upside down and he is only wearing a white cloth. He appears to be older, having a white full beard and a lack of hair on the top of his head. Then there are two men in the back of the painting. These men seem to be tying the older man down. The man is being strung to a large wooden object. He has a concerned look across his face. The origin behind this painting is the crucifixion of Saint Peter. Peter had been condemned to death in Rome. He requested to be crucified upside down because he did not believe that any man is worthy to be killed in the same manner of Jesus Christ. In this painting you can see that Peter’s hands and feet have already been pinned to the cross, and they are bleeding. Relating to my thesis, you can see the narrative through the use of colors and body language. It is really unique how artists can create such a powerful image just from a stroke of a brush.

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