The Denial of St Peter
by ROMBOUTS, Theodor, Oil on canvas, 94 x 206 cm
From about 1625 in Antwerp, in the same expressive and realistic style as his Caravaggist conversation pieces, Rombouts painted several narrative pictures with religious subjects in a landscape format, mainly for the open market. The present painting is a good illustration of this. It depicts the scene when Peter first betrays Christ after he has been taken prisoner.
Theodor Rombouts was one of the most original of the Flemish followers of Caravaggio; this composition is based on Caravaggio’s Calling of Saint Matthew in San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome.