Penitent Saint Peter

This work dates from the naturalist period of Cano, a leading figure in baroque painting. It was created during his time in Madrid, when he was summoned by the count-duke of Olivares to serve as his painter and chamberlain.

It depicts a supplicating Saint Peter in the foreground at night, his hands clasped in prayer, repentant for having denied Christ three times. It is notable for its striking chiaroscuro lighting. The painter drew inspiration from Saint Peter the Penitent, painted by Jusepe Ribera around 1621, which was then housed in the collegiate church of Osuna in Seville, as well as from an engraving on the same subject created by Ribera that same year in Naples.

The brushwork is somewhat loose and sketchy, possibly influenced by his exposure to Venetian paintings in the royal collections and the work of Velázquez.