The Incredulity of Saint Thomas

In the months before May 1621, when Guercino left his home town of Cento for Rome, a local patron, Bartolomeo Fabri, ordered two pictures from him, this one and a Betrayal of Christ. The Betrayal is now in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. In John's Gospel, Thomas misses the first appearance of the risen Jesus to the apostles and says he will not believe until he has touched the wounds. A week later he gets the chance. Guercino cuts the figures off below the waist and packs them close. Christ pulls back his robe and holds the staff of a white banner, the sign of the Resurrection, and the pole runs between him, in the light, and the doubting apostle, in shadow. Thomas reaches out his fingers and presses his other hand to his chest, while Peter watches from behind.