Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

The Tears of Saint Peter

ca. 1612–13
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 624

This early work by Ribera, who was Spanish by birth but spent his career in Italy, is first mentioned in Rome in 1644 in the collection of Cardinal Benedetto Monaldi Baldeschi. The painting shows Saint Peter after he has denied Christ, his eyes red with tears and his hands clasped in prayer. The figure’s pose embodies the crushing weight of his sin. Seen as a form of confession, such dramatic shedding of tears became central to Catholic devotional practices and was praised in poetry and song.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Tears of Saint Peter
  • Artist: Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto) (Spanish, Játiva 1591–1652 Naples)
  • Date: ca. 1612–13
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 63 3/4 x 45 in. (161.9 x 114.3 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Gift of Mrs. William M. Haupt, from the collection of Mrs. James B. Haggin, by exchange, and 2011 Benefit Fund, 2012
  • Object Number: 2012.416
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

Audio

Cover Image for 5212. The Penitent Saint Peter

5212. The Penitent Saint Peter

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Catherine of Alexandria, Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto) Spanish, Oil on canvas
The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Catherine of Alexandria
Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto)
1648
Rapier, Steel, blade, Spanish, Toledo; hilt, European, possibly Spanish
Rapier
blade, Spanish, Toledo; hilt, European, possibly Spanish
blade, ca. 1635; hilt, late 17th century
The Afternoon Meal (La Merienda), Luis Meléndez Spanish, Oil on canvas
The Afternoon Meal (La Merienda)
Luis Meléndez
ca. 1772
Saint John the Baptist, Juan Martínez Montañés Spanish, Polychromed wood with gilding, Spanish, Seville
Saint John the Baptist
Juan Martínez Montañés
ca. 1620–30
Study for a Crucifixion of St. Peter, Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto) Spanish, Pen and brown ink on off-white paper
Study for a Crucifixion of St. Peter
Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto)
1628–30

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.