Altarpiece of Saint Peter

The monumental scale of this elaborate work is typical of Spanish altarpieces of the period. The altarpiece comprises a complex arrangement of twenty-six paintings.  Enthroned as pope and attended by cardinals, the majestic figure of Saint Peter is flanked by four scenes relating to his life. A depiction of Christ's Crucifixion occupies its traditional place of honor in the central panel located directly above Saint Peter. To either side, the artist depicts events from the lives of the Virgin and St. Blaise, a fourth-century martyr.  At some time in its history, the altarpiece was dismantled, but its components were reassembled in the present form in the nineteenth century.