Christ appearing to Saint Peter after the Resurrection (Domine Quo Vadis), after Raphael's Stanza dell'incendio del Borgo, from a series of 15 plates, depicting Raphael's works for the Vatican stanze and the Sistine Chapel tapestries 1650 - 1670

Pietro Santi Bartoli's print captures a pivotal scene: Christ’s appearance to Saint Peter after the Resurrection. Peter, fleeing Rome to escape persecution, encounters Christ. "Domine, quo vadis?" he asks—Lord, where are you going? Christ replies, "To Rome, to be crucified again." The keys held by Saint Peter are not just objects, they are potent symbols. These keys, bestowed upon Peter by Christ, represent the power to bind and loose, signifying his role as the gatekeeper of Heaven and the founder of the Church. We see this motif echoed across centuries, from early Christian art to papal emblems, each instance imbuing the keys with layers of ecclesiastical authority. Consider the emotional weight of this encounter. Peter's fleeing, driven by fear, contrasts sharply with Christ’s determined return to sacrifice. This juxtaposition evokes a deep psychological tension, reflecting the internal conflict between self-preservation and devotion to a higher calling. The scene speaks to the viewer on a subconscious level, resonating with our own struggles between fear and faith. This non-linear progression shows how the meaning of symbols evolve over time and are passed down through history.