Delivery of the Keys is a 1482 religious fresco painting by Italian Renaissance artist Pietro Perugino. It is located in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy.
Analysis of Perugino’s Delivery of the Keys
The painting is a representation of the biblical event described in the Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus Christ entrusts the keys to the kingdom of heaven to Saint Peter, who is considered the first pope of the Catholic Church.
The painting depicts a scene in which Jesus, dressed in a blue cloak, stands in front of a classical building that is meant to represent the Temple of Solomon. To the right of Jesus is Saint Peter, who is wearing a yellow robe and holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Surrounding Peter are the other apostles, who are dressed in various colored robes.
The composition of the painting is very structured, with the figures arranged in a symmetrical manner. The use of perspective is also evident, with the architecture and landscape in the background appearing to recede into the distance. The color scheme is bright and vibrant, with the figures’ robes contrasting against the pale blue sky and green hills in the background.
The painting’s central message is the authority and power bestowed upon Saint Peter by Jesus Christ. The keys to the kingdom of heaven represent the power of the Catholic Church to forgive sins and grant salvation to its followers. The painting is also a celebration of the papacy and the Church’s role in Christianity.
The painting has been praised for its technical skill and beauty, with Perugino’s use of perspective and composition being particularly notable. The fresco was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV to decorate the newly built Sistine Chapel, which was meant to be the pope’s private chapel.
Delivery of the Keys is significant not only as a work of art but also as a symbol of the power and authority of the Catholic Church. The painting represents the Catholic Church’s belief in its divine mandate to lead and guide its followers. The painting has also been interpreted as a statement of the Church’s claim to temporal power, as represented by the classical architecture in the background.
Significance of the Delivery of the Keys in the Bible
The Delivery of the Keys is a significant event in the Bible because it represents the transfer of authority from Jesus Christ to Saint Peter, who is considered the first pope of the Catholic Church. In the Gospel of Matthew (16:18-19), Jesus tells Peter, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
The keys to the kingdom of heaven represent the power of the Catholic Church to forgive sins and grant salvation to its followers. The passage from Matthew has been interpreted by the Catholic Church as evidence of its divine mandate to lead and guide its followers. The Delivery of the Keys is therefore an important moment in the history of the Catholic Church, as it symbolizes the establishment of the papacy and the Church’s role in Christianity.
In addition to its religious significance, the Delivery of the Keys has also been interpreted as a statement of the Church’s claim to temporal power. The painting by Perugino in the Sistine Chapel, for example, features classical architecture in the background, which has been interpreted as a symbol of the Church’s claim to worldly authority.