Saint Peter walking on the water

Boucher's Saint Peter Walking on the Water from 1766 is a late and unusual work in a career dominated by mythological and pastoral subjects. The Gospel subject — Peter's momentary success in walking toward Christ on the Sea of Galilee, followed by his sudden doubt and near-drowning — was a classic subject for dramatic religious painting. Boucher's treatment, produced in his final years (he died in 1770), likely reflects a commission from a religious institution or private devotional patron rather than his personal inclination, and demonstrates his continued technical vitality even as his health declined.

The marine setting gave Boucher opportunity to deploy his facility with water surfaces and atmospheric sky effects alongside the dramatic figure of Christ and the sinking Peter. The contrast between the calm figure of Christ and Peter's alarmed descent likely provides the painting's central tension.