Artwork
Saint Peter Healing the Sick with His Shadow
Saint Peter Healing the Sick with His Shadow is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Philip Galle. It dates from 1574 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Philip Galle’s 1574 engraving portrays the apostle Peter using the power of his shadow to cure the infirm, a narrative taken from the Acts of the Apostles. Executed in the traditional engraving technique, the print presents a densely populated scene in which the central figure’s elongated shadow reaches over a group of sick individuals, suggesting miraculous healing.
Subject & Meaning
The image visualises the biblical episode in which Peter’s shadow, cast upon the afflicted, confers health. By placing the apostle at the centre of a bustling crowd, the work emphasizes the spread of divine aid through a simple, almost accidental, physical contact, underscoring themes of faith and the transmissibility of sanctity.
Technique & Style
Created with fine lines and cross‑hatching, the engraving achieves a textured surface that delineates figures, architecture, and landscape. Galle’s handling of light is evident in the stark contrast between the dark shadow and the surrounding forms, while the crowded composition reflects the detailed, narrative style typical of late‑sixteenth‑century printmaking.
History & Provenance
Philip Galle, a Dutch publisher and engraver active in the latter half of the 1500s, frequently produced prints after the designs of other artists. This work exemplifies his role in disseminating religious imagery across Europe, catering to a market eager for devotional prints.
Context
The engraving belongs to a period when printed religious scenes served both devotional and instructional purposes. By reproducing a scriptural miracle, Galle’s print would have circulated among believers, reinforcing biblical teachings and the authority of the apostolic tradition during the Counter‑Reformation era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings.
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