Author: Daunoras Stanislovas
Material / technique: oil on canvas.
Dimensions: 68x55 cm.
Signature: Кон. С. Добнаръ / 1862 г. (at the bottom right of the painting)
St Peter is an apostle and the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He is a former fisherman called Simon. For a long time he fished together with his brother Andrew. Peter met Jesus at the River Jordan, where he came to listen to St John the Baptist’s preaching. It is here that Jesus called him a rock (Petros in Greek) and invited him to become his disciple. The symbolic meaning of the name is revealed by the words of Jesus that Peter would be the rock upon which Jesus would build his church. All the Gospels state that Peter betrayed Jesus three times. During the time of persecution of Christians, Peter decided to escape from Rome, but after meeting Jesus, he returned. He died as a martyr. He was crucified upside down, because due to his betrayal of Jesus he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus.
When they had finished eating, Jesus Christ said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said. Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ And again Jesus asked, ‘Simon, do you love me?’ St Peter replied with tears in his eyes, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ Jesus Christ asked the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ When St Peter replied that he did, Christ said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ With those words he assigned to the care of Peter not only his lambs, that is, people in general, but also bishops with other priests. He made him the Holy Father or the Pope and raised him up to be the head of His Church. As a result, up until now the Pope has been St Peter’s successor and the head of all Catholics and the chief of our faith.
/.../ St Peter, who denied Jesus, washed off his sin with tears.
/.../ The murderous Caesar Nero ordered that St Peter be captured and imprisoned. Catholics who were sorry for him begged him to escape from the prison. First the apostle did not flee, but then he said, ‘Take me away from here.’ They fled. When he was out of the town, he met Jesus Christ and asked him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Christ answered, ‘I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time.’ After these words he passed away and St Peter understood his wrong doing and returned to the prison. (Motiejus Valančius, „Žyvatai šventųjų“, Raštai 2, 2006, p. 225–231)
Reference: "The Lithuanian art collection of Jaunius Gumbis". Museum and Collector - 6. Vilnius: National Museum of Lithuania, 2016, P. 238.
Exhibition: Exhibition of the collection of Lithuanian art of dr. Jaunius Gumbis "Collected and Preserved", September 2016 - January 2017, National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius.
Published: "The Lithuanian art collection of Jaunius Gumbis". Museum and Collector - 6. Vilnius: National Museum of Lithuania, 2016, P. 239. "Exhibition of Ancient Painting". Kaunas: Lithuanian Art Society, 1926, Kat. Nr. 22, P. 3.