Saint Peter c. 16th century

Curator: Domenico Beccafumi's study, "Saint Peter," at the Harvard Art Museums, depicts the saint holding keys and a book. He seems like a gatekeeper, doesn’t he? Editor: He does. The keys, of course, symbolize Peter's role as keeper of the keys to the kingdom of heaven. But I see a man burdened by that responsibility, etched by the weight of history and the church. Curator: The artist uses a chiaroscuro woodcut technique to emphasize that emotional depth. Note how the light catches the folds of his robes, drawing your eye to the keys as emblems of power. Editor: I'm also struck by the contrast between his bare feet and the heavy, draped clothing. It speaks to the tension between earthly vulnerability and divine authority that the church often struggles with. Curator: Indeed, a tension central to the figure of Peter himself. He's both a humble fisherman and the rock upon which the church is built. Editor: Absolutely. This image serves as a powerful reminder that even figures of great authority are rooted in human experience and subject to the same struggles as everyone else. Curator: It offers us a chance to consider the visual weight of those symbols through time. Editor: Ultimately, art like this asks us to reflect on the power structures, visible and invisible, that shape our world.