Christ Giving Custody of His Herds to St. Peter, from The Passion of Christ, plate 30

Art Historical Context

In the intricate engraving *Christ Giving Custody of Herds to St. Peter*, plate 30 from Grégoire Huret's series *The Passion of* (1664), we witness a pivotal biblical moment rendered with masterful precision. French engraver Grégo Huret (1625–1706), known for his reproductive prints after renowned paintings, captures Christ symbolically entrusting his flock—represented as herds—to Saint Peter by the Sea of Galilee. This large sheet (nearly 20 x 14 inches) exemplifies 17th-century printmaking, where Huret incised fine lines into a metal plate, inking it to transfer intricate details onto paper, allowing widespread dissemination of sacred imagery. The scene draws from John 21:15–17 in the New Testament, where the risen Christ commands Peter to "feed my sheep," affirming Peter's role as the rock of the Church and foreshadowing papal authority. Created amid the Baroque era's fervent religious art, Huret's work reflects the Counter-Reformation's emphasis on visual devotion, blending dramatic narrative with technical virtuosity to engage viewers emotionally and spiritually. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1953), this engraving highlights engraving's cultural importance as an accessible medium for Baroque religious themes, bridging elite painting with everyday worship.

About the Artist

Grégoire Huret · 1606–1670

French draftsman and printmaker. Comment on works: Engraver & draftsman