St. Peter and St. Paul
Folk and Self-Taught Art

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St. Peter and St. Paul
Artwork Details
Artist/Maker
John S. W. Perates
American, born Greece, 1895–1970
American, born Greece, 1895–1970
Date
ca. 1940s
Medium
Wood and paint
Accession #
1998.40
Dimensions
Please contact the Museum for more information.
Location
Currently Not on View
Description
Trained as a wood carver by his grandfather, John Perates went to work as a cabinetmaker when he moved to Maine from Greece in 1912. In 1938, Perates began work on a massive project that would occupy the next forty years of his life: a series of religious panels depicting the principal players and scenes from what he considered the greatest epic in history, the life of Christ. This large panel demonstrates how Perates combined his woodcarving skills, knowledge of the Bible, and familiarity with Byzantine-influenced religious icons to create an original and highly distinctive style.