Saints Peter and Paul

Painting

-

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Saints Peter and Paul

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.037

Description

Tempera on curved wooden panel painted orange on the topside with cursive writing in pencil on the back. The central image features three male figures; one a the top in the clouds with halo and blue and pink robes (Christ), one on the left with blue and orange robes holding two keys (St. Peter) and one on the right in pink and green robes holding a book (St. Paul). The figures are both clad in sandals and stand on grassy hills with a white onion dome cathedral in the back on a mustard yellow background. Red Cyrillic captions are over the heads of both saints, as are two gold leaf haloes rimmed in red. There is pencil writing on the back.

Type of Painting

Panel

Artwork Details

Medium

Tempera

Collection

Betsy Scheuring Icon Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2005.02

Source or Donor

Betsy Scheuring

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Betsy Scheuring

Made/Created

Date made

1850 - 1900

Time Period

19th Century

Place

Country

Russia

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Location

Back of painting

Transcription

Unintelligible cursive pencil

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Icon

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Symbol, Religious

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Religious Objects

Nomenclature Class

Ceremonial Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

12-1/4 in

Width

10-1/4 in

Depth

1-1/2 in

Exhibitions

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)
Surveying the Sacred: Analysis of the Scheuring Collection of Eastern Orthodox Icons (2025)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Saint Peter is on the left, holding his characteristic attribute of the keys. These indicate his status as the first leader of the church, designated by Christ as the “rock” on which he would build this institution. St. Paul stands on the right, holding a book of his writings. He was not one of the original twelve disciples, and was converted to the Christian faith by a blinding light from God while traveling on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. Paul became a preacher and a missionary, traveling extensively and writing his Epistles (cf. 2005.02.004). In the clouds above Paul in the icon, Christ appears with his hands outstretched in blessing. An onion-domed Russian church is visible between the two saints in the distance. The figures turn slightly toward each other and gaze at Christ above. One notes the stylized rocks at the saints’ feet that reflect the pink of their robes.