Christus redt Petrus van de verdrinkingsdood 1559

This 1559 engraving by Nicolas Beatrizet, titled “Christus redt Petrus van de verdrinkingsdood” (Christ saves Peter from drowning), depicts the biblical story of Peter walking on water towards Jesus, who extends his hand to save him. The composition is full of detailed imagery, showing Peter in the turbulent water, surrounded by fish and the other disciples in a boat. Above, God the Father, with the Holy Spirit as a dove, looks down from heaven. This engraving, held in the Rijksmuseum, exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with religious subjects and the use of detailed perspective and anatomical realism.