Caravaggio’s The Denial of St. Peter

Caravaggios The Denial of St. Peter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In approximately 1610, Michelangelo Merisi, referred to today as Caravaggio by virtue of his hometown, painted his The Denial of Saint Peter, an oil-on-canvas depiction of St. Peter’s renunciation of Jesus and disavowal that he was a disciple of Christ. Though it passed through the hands of several cardinals over the centuries,[1] the work itself was not commissioned by any religious authority, and was entirely conceived by Caravaggio. It currently is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most important aspect of the work stems from its era: Caravaggio painted in the early Baroque period, a time in art largely focused on emotion, drama, and realism in the portrayal of humanity, as opposed to the idealized, somewhat emotionless scenes of the Renaissance.[2] The Denial of Saint Peter is a prime example of this trend, for, as opposed to depicting idealized human forms in a heavily structured and adorned setting, it portrays jus t three figures, all of whom are imperfect, human, and express clearly visible emotion. While Caravaggio’s subject matter is far from unique, his distinctive approach toward its illustration is revolutionary with respect to earlier Renaissance art; of course, it resembles other works from the Baroque period, which Caravaggio himself helps to usher in. The drama and emotional anguish of Caravaggio’s work is apparent even upon first glance. Upon examining the figures in the work, we see that Saint Peter is far from flawless and virtuous; instead, he is easily intimidated by a soldier as he frantically distances himself from Christ, pointing at himself incredulously as if to appear utterly surprised at the notion that he is somehow associated with Jesus. Peter lacks the saintly character attributed to Biblical figures in earlier works, for he has deeply furrowed brows and looks pale and sickly in the harsh light shining on him-in fact, he more closely resembles a cowardly man eager to appear common and nondescript. The woman and the soldier have powerful emotional elements in their depictions as well-the soldier appears threatening, seemingly warning Peter of the consequences of allying with Christ, while the woman bears a stern expression that signals her certainty of Peter’s solidarity with Jesus. Finally, the sheer size of the figures is noteworthy, for it places all emphasis on them and on no other point in the painting. Caravaggio’s stylistic effects, in addition to the figures’ expressions, also lend the painting a dramatic air. The first and most obvious such technique is his use of lighting: specifically, the work has extreme contrasts between light and dark, which, due to their harsh appearance, convey an almost theatrical impression to the viewer. In fact, Peter’s head is fully and strongly illuminated, while the soldier’s visage, though just opposite his, is barely visible; the woman’s face, furth ermore, is alternately obscured and lit-with little or no attempt to mediate the two extremes. This consistent use of dramatic lighting, which in this case radiates only from the left of the painting, is termed â€Å"chiaroscuro†; in fact, Caravaggio used it so often that his version of the technique is labeled â€Å"tenebrism.†[3] The effect that these techniques have on a work is profound, for they create a powerful sense of tension in the piece because of their stark, almost jarring appearance. In The Denial of St. Peter, this effect is quite noticeable, for by illuminating Peter, but not the soldier, the sense that Peter is being interrogated and pressured becomes heightened; it is almost as if a spotlight is on him, coercing him into giving a reply.