Oil on canvas, 44.5cm by 34cm.
The painting depicts one of the most important moments in the life of Jesus, as he begins to gather his first disciples.
It appears in each of the four New Testament Gospels, but perhaps most famously in Mark and Matthew, when, walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew and said to them, ‘come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’
Tempesta was born in Haarlem and trained as an artist in his father’s studio.
He later travelled to Italy, where he worked in Rome, Genoa and Northern Italy and became well known for his Italianate landscapes. These were often stormy and tempestuous, hence his Italian nickname.
He also painted hunting scenes in the manner of Frans Snyders (1579-1657).
