The Lord Tied to the Column and Saint Peter

In New Granada, representations of the Passion were central. With them it was sought to evoke the suffering of Jesus and present an exemplary figure for the faithful to emulate.

The image features Jesus at the center of the composition standing semi-naked, wearing only a white cloth, a symbol of purity or holiness. 

His face, gazing directly at the viewer, is surrounded by a halo of light, a sign of his divine character. 

Before him stands a low column, swollen at the base, to which he is bound by his neck and hands. 

On the left, we see the apostle Peter represented. His presence refers to the so-called scene of “the tears of Saint Peter”. 

According to the New Testament, before going to Gethsemane, Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times before the crowing of the rooster. This premonition was fulfilled despite Peter’s initial disbelief. 

The crowing of the rooster reminded Peter of his master’s words and, realizing his betrayal, he wept bitterly. Although Peter’s denials happened while Jesus was absent, in this image the apostle is depicted kneeling with his hands in prayer. 

This episode was disseminated from the 16th century onward to reinforce Catholic doctrine following the Council of Trent, according to which repentance, confession of sins, and penance were necessary. 

Although neither the canonical nor the apocryphal gospels mention the presence of the apostle during Pontius Pilate’s scourging of Jesus, this event was often linked with that of the apostle’s repentance.