Who painted Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church?

Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church was painted by Diana Scultori in 1567.

Where can I see Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church?

Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church?

Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church

Diana Scultori , 1567

Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Diana Scultori. It dates from 1567 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Christ Making Saint Peter Head of the Church is an engraving on laid paper executed by the Italian printmaker Diana Scultori around 1567. The work presents a small outdoor gathering of robed figures, centered on a standing man gesturing toward a kneeling youth who clutches a pair of keys, while a modest village and a church spire rise in the background.

Subject & Meaning

The composition illustrates the biblical episode in which Christ designates Peter as the future leader of the Christian community, symbolized by the keys of heaven that the boy holds. The attentive spectators and the rural setting underscore the transmission of authority from the divine to the earthly realm, emphasizing themes of trust, stewardship and ecclesiastical succession.

Technique & Style

Scultori employed a burin to incise fine, parallel lines that render the drapery’s folds, the texture of grass, and the distant architecture. Subtle cross‑hatching creates tonal variation, allowing the figures to emerge from the landscape with a delicate chiaroscuro. The engraving’s precise line work reflects the Mannerist attention to detail and the printmaker’s mastery of the medium.

History & Provenance

Created in the late sixteenth century, the print is among the few surviving works attributed to Diana Scultori, a notable female engraver working in Rome.

Created in the late sixteenth century, the print is among the few surviving works attributed to Diana Scultori, a notable female engraver working in Rome. It circulated as a devotional image and likely served both private contemplation and public instruction. The engraving is presently held in several European collections, documenting the artist’s active participation in the print market of the period.