The Tears of Saint Peter (El Greco, Mexico City) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Tears of Saint Peter |
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| Artist | El Greco |
| Year | c.1587-1596 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 96.5 cm × 79 cm (38.0 in × 31 in) |
| Location | Museo Soumaya, Mexico City |
The Tears of Saint Peter or Penitent Saint Peter is a famous painting created by the artist El Greco between around 1587 and 1596. It shows Saint Peter, one of Jesus's closest friends, looking sad and regretful. El Greco painted this scene many times, and there are other similar versions of this painting in different museums around the world.
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About the Painting
This painting shows Saint Peter with tears in his eyes, looking up towards the sky. He has his hands clasped together, showing deep sorrow. The story behind this painting comes from the Bible. Saint Peter had promised Jesus he would never deny knowing him. However, after Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing him three times, just as Jesus had predicted. When Peter realized what he had done, he felt incredibly sad and cried bitterly.
What Does "Penitent" Mean?
The word "penitent" means feeling sorry for something you have done wrong and wanting to make it right. In this painting, Saint Peter is shown as a penitent figure, deeply regretting his actions. This moment of sadness and regret is an important part of his story.
El Greco, the Artist
El Greco was a very unique and famous artist from Greece. His real name was Doménikos Theotokópoulos, but he was known as El Greco, which means "The Greek." He lived and worked mostly in Spain during the late 1500s. El Greco is known for his special style, which often includes long, stretched-out figures, bright colors, and dramatic lighting. His paintings often show strong emotions and spiritual feelings, making them very powerful.
Journey of the Painting
This specific version of The Tears of Saint Peter has traveled a lot! It is believed to have first belonged to a Spanish nobleman called the Marqués de Legarda, who kept it in a city called Vitoria-Gasteiz. Later, in 1909, a collector named Electra Havemeyer bought it. Then, in 1930, it was bought by Oscar B. Cintas, a collector from Cuba who lived in Florida. He had the painting carefully cleaned and repaired. Finally, in 1998, the painting was bought by the Museo Soumaya in Mexico City, where you can see it today.
Other Versions by El Greco
El Greco painted the subject of Saint Peter's tears several times. Each version is a little different, but they all show the same powerful moment of regret. Some other famous versions of this painting can be found in places like the Bowes Museum in England, the El Greco Museum, Toledo in Spain, and the national museum in Stockholm, Sweden. This shows how important this story was to El Greco and to the people of his time.
See also
In Spanish: Las lágrimas de san Pedro (El Greco, Soumaya) para niños
- List of works by El Greco
