# Saints Peter and Paul [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [GRECO, El]() - Date: 1551-1600 - Technique: Oil on canvas, 124 x 93,5 cm ## Commentary The two saints, who were strongly associated with each other as the most influential leaders of the early Church. In this portrayal they are shown engaged in an animated discussion. The older, white-haired Peter, wrapped in a golden coloured cloak inclines his head thoughtfully to one side as he looks towards the text being expounded. In his left hand he holds his attribute, the key to the kingdom of Heaven. His right hand is cupped as if weighing up an idea. Paul presses his left hand down firmly on the open volume on the table, his right hand raised in a gesture of explanation as he looks directly at the viewer. St Peter and St Paul appear separately a great number of times in El Greco's oeuvre and they are depicted with remarkable consistency. Peter is always shown with white hair and beard, and he often wears his yellow cloak over a blue tunic. Paul is always shown slightly balding, with dark hair and beard, wearing a red mantle thrown over a blue or green tunic, which is here just visible at the neck. There is an <A onclick="return OpenOther\('/html/g/greco\_el/10/1003grec.html'\)" HREF="/html/g/greco\_el/10/1003grec.html">earlier version</A> of this composition in the Hermitage, St Petersburg. <P> <TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR="\#99CCCC"> <TR VALIGN=MIDDLE><TD><IMG SRC="/support/gif/listen.gif" BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE> Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 3 minutes\):<BR><A HREF="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/music1/15\_cent/dufay\_peter\_paul.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true"><B>Guillaume Dufay: Aurea luce, hymn for the feast of Sts Peter and Paul</B></A> </TD></TR></TABLE> ## Related artworks - [A Boy Blowing on an Ember to Light a Candle \(Soplón\)]() - [A Lady in a Fur Wrap]() - [A Prelate]() - [A View of Toledo \(detail\)]() - [A View of Toledo]() - [Adoration of the Shepherds \(detail\)]() - [Adoration of the Shepherds]() - [Adoration of the Shepherds]() - [Allegory of the Camaldolese Order]() - [Altarpiece]() - [An Allegory with a Boy Lighting a Candle in the Company of an Ape and a Fool \(Fábula\)]() - [An Allegory with a Boy Lighting a Candle in the Company of an Ape and a Fool \(Fábula\)]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()