Christus verschijnt aan Petrus bij de poort van Rome 1501 - 1580

Giulio Bonasone made this print, Christus Appears to Peter at the Gate of Rome, sometime in the 16th century. It depicts a pivotal moment in Christian history, infused with the political and religious tensions of Renaissance Italy. The image visualizes the story of Peter fleeing Rome to escape persecution, but being stopped by a vision of Christ who questions him. The story speaks to the nature of religious authority, obedience, and the perceived role of Rome itself. Bonasone, working in Bologna, would have been keenly aware of the Counter-Reformation and the debates about papal authority. The print invites us to consider the symbolic weight of Rome as both a historical and religious center, and to think about how artists like Bonasone participated in shaping those perceptions. To fully understand this, we might turn to theological texts, histories of the papacy, and studies of print culture in the period. By understanding the institutional and cultural context of its creation, we can better understand its meaning.