Gerrit Van Honthorst Denial Of St. Peter Analysis

Gerrit van Honthorst’s Denial of St. Peter, 1623 (Fig. 1) is a dark composition that hangs in a room of light. The contrast in tone between the muted piece and its brighter surroundings mimics the chiaroscuro effect used by Honthorst in the painting itself, effectively drawing the viewer in for a more intimate examination. As the title suggests, the painting depicts a popular scene from the New Testament; the apostle Peter–– the rightmost figure in the yellow cloak–– is discovered by a poor maidservant and swiftly accused of being a follower of the recently outlawed Jesus Christ. Peter, in an attempt to protect himself, denies these accusations before eventually repenting–– establishing the Denial of St. Peter as an emotional, personal piece

The maidservant and St. Peter stand in the middle, surrounded protectively by four soldier figures. At first glance, the viewer can only discern the two, frontal facing bodies of the central figures. As their bodies are left open to the viewer, their intentions are similarly exposed; the maidservant hides nothing in her brazen indictment of St. Peter, and the Saint gestures unapologetically in response. However, as the observer’s gaze breaks away from the central figures, the hidden, protective border of the soldiers becomes discernible. The faces of two guards can be seen to the right, cramped, up close against Peter, scrutinizing his detail. They stand behind Peter, allowing for no escape, pushing Peter closer to the viewer. Their gazes direct the viewer to look unto Peter as well, encouraging participation in the scene, adding an extra layer of scrutiny. This call for viewer participation can also be seen in the two leftmost soldiers, staring and gesturing at St. Peter in excitement. Their dramatic body language encourages the viewer to look where they are looking, to accuse

The foremost soldier stands with his back turned to us, extending access to the viewer while also very specifically directing that access, pointing accusingly at Peter, suggesting that the viewer can indeed take part in the scene, so long as they join in the accusation. Finally, while the work is balanced–– the staffs of the guards lean away in a perpendicular manner from the accusatory arms of the maidservant and guard–– there is no sense of unity in the scene; the figures, while compact, appear disjointed and confused, caught in an eternal moment of doubt. This creates an overall sensation of tension and anxiety–– appropriate feelings, given the subject matter of treachery. Honthorst chose to portray a story that encapsulates the ultimate disloyalty–– the denial of Jesus Christ. In depicting this scene, Honthorst uses the dramatization of light and the intimacy of a compact composition to involve the viewer, to deny the viewer, to envelope them in the drama of accusation and also in the discomfort of deceit, while also banishing them outwards; so the observer can only watch helplessly as Peter makes his grave mistake–– promoting a complex relationship between the viewer and the piece itself, reminding the viewer not to repeat the regrettable scene that they see before them–– the denial of