Saint Peter in Tears

The subject matter of the tears of Saint Peter would be used by theologians and moralists of the Counter-Reformation as a way of approaching the believer, drawing a parallel between the saint's weakness and mortal man through the sin committed. It is a piece that was designed for private oratories and for private clients within the context of the “religious devotion painting” that would stimulate an emotional closeness between the believer and the image.