Pietro Perugino’s fresco “The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter”: Objectives, Activities, and Instructions

The artwork

A two-dimensional artwork that effectively depicts the depth is Pietro Perugino’s fresco at the Sistine Chapel titled “The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter.” In it, the sense of space is created through the use of perspective. The objects, which are closer to the viewer, mainly the people, appear more prominent, while the chapel behind them looks small. This creates an illusion of depth and a sense of space between the people and the chapel, making this work two-dimensional. Additionally, the people that in between the main scene and the temple look smaller than those closer to the viewer, which also helps create a sense of perspective. In this artwork, the one-point perspective is used, where the vanishing point is the temple.

The color

The color used in this work is an essential element that helps create depth as well. Perugino uses a combination of dark and light colors; for example, dark colors are used to paint the men’s clothes in the front, and the stones on the floor are bright. The horizon is painted with a combination of dark and bright, which helps create a dimension and a sense of space between the mountains and the sky.

The use of color affects

The use of color affects the mood of the work because Perugino uses mainly browns, yellow, and blue, which is the color scheme repeated throughout the painting in different elements. There are no bright or intense colors, instead, Perugine uses mainly cold shades. This creates an atmosphere of seriousness and witnessing important events. The use of line is one of the main elements that help Perugino create an illusion of depth because the man in this painting is depicted standing on the lined ground made of blocks or another material. Shape in this painting is represented through the geometry of the floor and the temples, mainly.

Reference

Pritchard, S. (n.d.). Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys of the Kingdom to St. Peter. Web.