Christ transmitting St. Peter Keys from Paradise by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

This large painting, ordered for the Roman Church of the Holy Trinity as early as 1817, Ingres finished, only in the summer of 1820. The painting depicts the scene of the transfer of keys from heaven to the apostle Peter.

This occurs in the presence of other apostles. To this kind of orders the artist was very responsible, he liked paintings of religious content and was very irritated by any misunderstanding. Here it will be appropriate to recall one “Russian” story from his life. Once in Rome, then heir to the Russian throne, and in the future, Tsar Alexander II, ordered Engra the image of the Mother of God with the standing saints Nikolai and Alexander.

In Russia, this canvas was criticized, because it was considered Latin in spirit. Ingres – at the peak of his detractors – created a replica of this painting, but also with Catholic saints. That’s the way he was, this uncomfortable Ingres.