Michel ii corneille (1642-1708)-le baptême du centurion corneille par saint pierre

Attributed to Michel Corneille (1642-1708)
The baptism of the centurion Cornelius by St Pierre
(88 by 69 cm without the frame)

The Bible tells about how the centurion Cornelius, devout, followed the order of an angel who appeared before him, summoned the Apostle Peter at Caesarea to hear the word of God.
While Peter meets the pagans who gathered in the house of the centurion, the Holy Ghost fell on them. Seeing this, Peter baptized the whole assembly.

Our painting is probably one of the "modelli" performed by Michel Corneille under the direction of his father Michel former of which he is a student, he had received an order in 1658 for a second May for ND Paris "St. Peter baptizing the centurion Cornelius. "(Currently in the church St Pierre in Toulouse)

The "Mays" means the tables of which was commissioned each year between 1630 and 1707 (with the exception of year 1683 and 1694) by the goldsmiths' guild for it to be offered in the first days of May, in the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris.

Implementation report:
Modello (preparatory work), Michel Corneille, Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg.
Canvas: 88 x 70 cm.