- The “Mays” of Notre-Dame
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- Saint Peter Healing the Sick with His Shadow
- The Conversion of saint Paul
- The Centurion Cornelius at the Feet of Saint Peter
- The Preaching of Saint Peter in Jerusalem
- The Crucifixion of Saint Peter
- The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew
- The Stoning of Saint Stephen
- The Predictions of the prophet Agabus to Saint Paul
- The Visitation
- Saint Thomas Aquinas, Fountain of Wisdom
The Centurion Cornelius
Saint Luke, in chapter 10 of the Book of Acts of the Apostles, tells the story of Centurion Cornelius. Following a vision, he sets out to meet Peter and becomes a Christian disciple. He is one of the first to be baptized by Peter after Jesus’ death.
In the Scriptures
“There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout man and feared God with all his household. He gave alms generously to the people and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!’ […] ‘Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.'” (Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 10, verses 1-6) […] “The next day, [Peter] entered Caesarea. Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I too am a man.'” (Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 10, verses 24-26)
The Painting
The painter chose to highlight the last verse of the story: “Stand up. I am only a man myself.” In the center-right, the Apostle Peter raises the prostrate centurion. Symbolically, Cornelius’ family is positioned on the left, the side of the proscribed. A woman, holding a child, points towards Peter. As mentioned in the text, the brothers from Joppa stand near him. The large columns in the background evoke the pillars of the cathedral, symbolically linking the past story with the present place where the faithful find themselves. This painting illustrates the interior of the Saint Peter Chapel.
Aubin Vouet (1595-1641)
Aubin Vouet specialized in grand mythological and religious paintings. His journey to Rome taught him the lessons of Caravaggio: powerful lighting, a vivid color palette, and large drapes that give rhythm to the scene. Like his brother Simon Vouet, the court painter of Louis XIII, he drew compositions with more emphasis, often elevating the characters. Though he fell into obscurity, he enjoyed a solid reputation in his time. He was one of the first painters to receive a commission for the May of Notre-Dame, an honor repeated three times in 1632, 1639, and 1640.
