"and again (Peter) denied with an oath" so says St Mathew -Gospel according to Mathew 26 :71-72 .This obviously the second of the three denials by the Apostle which is beautyfully depicted in the painting 'Denial  of  Peter' by the 17th century  Dutch Painter Karel Durjardin .
      Let us  have a close look at the picture.The 'oath' is emphasaised by the placement of hands on the chest by the Apostle.The off centre placement of both the accusing servant women and the defensive Apostle along with the foregrounding of their figures by bright light is  for effective conveying of the Tension of the situation..Not only the accusatory gestures of the maid but the creases of her white sleeves are depicted in detail. Peter is apparently defensive but look at His Eyes.We can see determination .He had to deny the Master not because he was afraid to go to the Cross but was duty bound to carry the Great Master's Cross to nations and peoples far beyond.The Man at the centre is in darkness .so is the one partly visible behind the Apostle .They are obviously part of the crowd who shouted 'Cricify The Nazarene ,give us Barabas'.
    Dujardin belonged to the Dutch Baroque school of art known for richness of colours and finesse of execution. The Catholic Church effectively used the Art of Painting to counter the Martin Luther Movement -To execute what historians call the Counter Reformation .This is one among the many such paintings.Whatever be one's view on those historical facts it is sheer the beauty of those works of art ithat atracts art lovers even after so many centuries .
  I saw the Painting in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasidina near Los Angels .