Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples

Nicolas Bertin was primarily a painter of religious, mythological, and allegorical subjects. Although trained in the rigorous French academic traditions, he often emulated the broader style of Titian, Paolo Veronese, and other Venetian Renaissance masters. For his depiction of Christ washing Saint Peter's feet just after the Last Supper (John 13:4-5), Bertin created a majestic, theatrical backdrop reminiscent of those in Veronese's pictures. Through gesture and facial expression Bertin adeptly described a range of emotions, from surprise and puzzlement to humility.