The Delivery of the Keys

Renaissance artist Pietro Vannucci, also known as Perugia was the chief city of Umbria. Vannucci was one of the richest men in the town. He began to study painting in Perugia, in local workshop. According to Vasari, he worked alongside Leonardo Da Vinci and many others. Perugino was one of the earliest Italian successful artists of oil painting. Some of his early works were frescoes that usually  featured different cartoons.

My favorite piece of Perugino is The Delivery of the Keys. This fresco is found in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. While we visited the Sistine Chapel I was blown away by Pietro’s work. The series of the Stories of Jesus is a reference to Matthew 16, which shows the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" are being given to St. Peter. While I was doing further research on this piece I found out that the keys represent power and forgiveness by God. Which leads to giving that power and that forgiveness to others in the heavens. Christ hands the keys to St. Peter, who is surrounded by the other Apostles. Throughout the middle are two scenes from the life of Christ, which are the Tribute Money and the Stoning of Christ. The people featured in this piece of work are very graceful and elegant, consequently, their features are delicate with much detail. 

Perugino, 1450-1523.
The Delivery of the Keys, 1482.
Sistine Chapel, Rome.