La Tour, Georges de (1593-1652)
Les Larmes de saint Pierre (The Tears of Saint Peter / Saint Peter Repentant)
1645
Oil on canvas, 114 x 95 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
During Jesus’s arrest on the night of the Last Supper, the apostle Peter denied knowing him. Although Christ forgave his betrayal, Peter was consumed by guilt. Georges de La Tour represents Peter as an old man, reflecting on his past actions in a state of perpetual repentance. The apostle’s red-rimmed eyes and the uncertain light of the lantern suggest anxious sleepless nights; muted colors and simple forms give visual expression to Peter’s somber emotions. Unlike other artists inspired by Caravaggio, La Tour worked in relative isolation in northeastern France, and his connection to his Italian counterpart remains unclear. (CMA)