Saint Peter and Saint John at the Gate of the Temple, from "The Passion"

Saint Peter and Saint John at the Gate of the Temple, from "The Passion," is a highly refined engraving executed by Albrecht Dürer in 1513. This work is part of Dürer’s celebrated series depicting the Passion and acts of the Apostles, reflecting the artist’s mastery of the graphic arts during the High Renaissance. As a printmaker, Dürer elevated the status of the medium, utilizing copperplate engraving to achieve an unparalleled level of detail. His technique is characterized by precise line work, complex cross-hatching, and subtle variations in tonal depth, which are used here to define both the dramatic architecture of the temple gate and the expressive musculature of the figures.

The scene illustrates the narrative from the Acts of the Apostles, where Saint Peter, accompanied by Saint John, miraculously heals a man crippled since birth who begs for alms at the beautiful gate of the Temple. The dynamic figure of Saint Peter dominates the central foreground, identifiable among the group of men. His gestures convey the miraculous transfer of power, while the lame man’s reaction captures the sudden transformation from despair to healing. The architectural setting provides a powerful sense of monumental space, typical of Dürer’s mature style, which successfully merged Northern European attention to detail with the proportional ideals learned during his travels in Italy.

This significant 16th-century work is a key piece in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The circulation of Dürer's influential prints during his lifetime ensured his fame across Europe. Today, the enduring quality and historical importance of Dürer’s work, such as the detailed rendering in Saint Peter and Saint John at the Gate of the Temple, ensures its continued relevance in art historical study. Many of the preparatory drawings and finished prints of the era are now part of the public domain, making them widely accessible for scholarly and public appreciation.