Penitent Saint Peter Jusepe de Ribera, (1628-1632)

Emerging from shadow into a radiant light streaming from above, Saint Peter’s uplifted gaze and expressive gesture capture a moment of profound spiritual exchange, as he wrestles with the deep remorse of denying Christ.

Jusepe de Ribera, born near Valencia, Spain, built his career in Italy—first in Rome around 1612–1613, at the height of Caravaggio’s influence, and later in Naples from 1616. Under Spanish rule, Naples offered him the patronage of successive viceroys, for whom he created altarpieces, classical scenes, and striking single-figure works like this one—so vividly rendered they feel like true portraits of their sacred or historical subjects.