A Ferry Departs as St Peter Finds a Coin in the Mouth of a Fish c. 1621 - 1650

Jacques Jordaens painted this scene on canvas, in which A Ferry Departs as St Peter Finds a Coin in the Mouth of a Fish, sometime in the 17th century. Painted during the Baroque era, this artwork is steeped in the religious and social themes of its time. Jordaens, a Flemish artist, often explored biblical scenes with a distinctly human touch, grounding the divine in the everyday. Here we see a chaotic departure scene: ordinary people crowd onto a ferry while, in the foreground, St. Peter discovers the miraculous coin. The painting reflects the era's social fabric, with its mix of classes and occupations jostling together. Yet, it also subtly challenges the traditional notions of religious art. Instead of idealizing its subjects, Jordaens presents them as real, flawed individuals, which invites us to reflect on the intersection of faith and daily life. The raw emotion and humanity captured here invite us to question the boundaries between the sacred and the mundane.