The Callings of Saints Peter and Andrew

Here in Pine’s picture displays an acute level of skill, capturing the brilliance of Carravagio’s original piece. The painting initially adorned the King’s Audience Chamber from 1750 to 1819 before being relocated in 1835 to the Queen’s Audience Chamber, Hampton Court. Pine’s remarkable attention to detail records the hairs of the incipient beard on the young Christ’s face, which were revealed after extensive cleaning and restoration in the 20th century.

The colours, undoubtedly more vivid in 1769 than today, are beautifully recorded by Pine. For instance, areas like St Peter’s warm ochre-brown robe, which was obscured before cleaning, were faithfully recorded. However, the lower part of Christ’s robe that cleaning revealed to be dark purple rather than green stands as the only inaccuracy.

Robert Edge Pine 

Born in London, Robert Edge Pine was an English portrait and historical painter. He was the son of John Pine, an English enlightenment engraver and designer. Notably, Robert Pine was one of the first artists to paint historical events from the American Revolution.

Pine was a notable portrait painter who was commissioned by sitters such as George II, David Garrick, Hugh Percy the 1st Duke of Northumberland and Shakespeare. Pine’s radical political views were often exposed through his art. His portrait of John Wilkes, a radical English journalist and MP, showcased his support of voters rights and the American War of Independence. Painted during Wilkes' imprisonment and political exile, the portrait resulted in Pine’s exclusion from the founding group of the Royal Academy of Art in 1768. However, Pine did exhibit at the Royal Academy in 1772, 1780 and 1784.

In 1784, Pine travelled to America where he exhibited a series of paintings depicting scenes and characters from William Shakespeare's plays. He eventually settled in Philadelphia, painting portraits for prominent figures such as General Gates, Robert Morris and George Washington. In 1786, Pine was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society.

After Pine's death in Philadelphia in November 1788, wax modeler Daniel Bowen purchased the paintings from Pine’s studio, exhibiting them in museums across Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Tragically, nearly all of Pine's paintings were destroyed by fire in 1803, leaving two family groups and about forty individual portraits as examples of his American work.

We would like to give credit to Neil Jeffares and Lucy Whitaker for their contributions in attributing the work to Robert Edge Pine and their analysis of the work as a copy of Carravaggio's original.

Museums
Kingston Town Hall, Jamaica
National Portrait Gallery
Columbian Museum, Boston