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God in the Arts
He gave us eyes to see them:
El Greco’s ‘The Tears of St Peter’
In the 19th century John Bowes, the 10th Earl of Strathmore, built a museum in the French style, with landscaped gardens, at Barnard Castle in Teesdale. He bequeathed it 800 paintings, including a previously unknown Van Dyck
But visitors to the Bowes Museum often make a beeline for its amazing 18th century silver swan automaton. As the music plays, there is the illusion of flowing water: the swan preens itself, bends down and catches a fish in the water. It is a thrill and a joy to watch. At the other extreme and striking a different mood and emotion is El Greco’s painting of 1580: ‘The Tears of St Peter.’ It was reluctantly purchased in 1869 for a price less than that paid for the monkey puzzle tree in the grounds outside
The gospels tell us that St Peter wept bitterly when he heard the cock crow, as he had denied knowing Jesus three times. El Greco shows the saint, his eyes welling with those tears of betrayal, kneeling and turning to heaven for forgiveness. The sky is overcast, reflecting the sad scene below, and we can see ivy growing as a sign of the constancy so lacking in Peter’s life
At the Last Supper he had been the opposite: ready to follow, brave and generous with his words. But Peter leaves Jesus to drink the cup of sorrow alone in Gethsemane. In the courtyard of the high priest, warming himself by the fire, he utters that threefold denial. This was the lowest moment in his life, when instead of being solid rock, he showed that he was merely shifting sand
And then the wonder and glory of Easter. We glimpse it in the background of the painting with the angel and Mary Magdalene at the tomb. And we know that everything changes for Peter by the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Like the silver swan in the Bowes Museum looking for fish, the disciples have returned to their old way of life
But it is the risen Lord who directs them to a marvelous catch, and the charcoal fire of betrayal in the courtyard is now the charcoal fire of breakfast, a new day, and a new way of life for Peter. No denial now – he answers the three questions of our Lord positively and realises that he is loved by Jesus in his failure and weakness. It might have seemed the end for Peter in the courtyard, but the risen Lord comes to tell him ‘I make all things new’ and that includes you
Peter is often known as the stumbling saint. Here, in El Greco’s painting, he has stumbled and fallen to his knees in prayer. We celebrate St Peter at the end of this month. As we look at him, we know ourselves to be as weak and fearful. But the Lord comes to us as He comes to Peter. He lifts us up and puts us back on our feet again. With Peter, we know Him as our crucified and risen Lord
courtesy of Parish Life
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