Saint Peter Healing the Sick with His Shadow

Art Historical Context

This 16th-century engraving captures the biblical miracle of Saint Peter healing the sick simply by casting his shadow over them, a scene drawn from the Acts of the Apostles. Created by Philip Galle after a design by the Dutch artist Maerten van Heemskerck, the print reflects the Northern Renaissance interest in dramatic religious narratives. Van Heemskerck, active during a period of artistic transition, often infused his compositions with dynamic movement and expressive figures that Galle skillfully translated into the precise lines of engraving. Engravings like this one played a vital role ...