Kruisiging van Petrus 1535 - 1601

Giovanni Battista Cavalieri created this engraving, "The Crucifixion of Saint Peter," sometime in the late 16th century. The composition is a dense, theatrical arrangement of figures, with Saint Peter inverted on the cross as the focal point. Light and shadow emphasize the musculature and emotional distress of the figures, creating a dynamic scene. Cavalieri uses the engraving medium to explore themes of martyrdom and faith through a structured display of human form and drama. The artwork reflects the influence of Renaissance classicism, yet also hints at the emerging Baroque interest in heightened emotional expression. Semiotically, the inverted cross challenges the conventional representation of religious power, suggesting a deliberate inversion of values or a critique of established hierarchies. The tightly organized composition, with its emphasis on bodily forms and structured narrative, invites a reading of religious iconography through the lens of human experience, destabilizing traditional notions of sanctity and martyrdom.