The painting is almost entirely filled by three figures shown from the waist up, standing very close to one another. Slightly behind them, at the center and facing the viewer, stands a young woman. To the left, shown in right profile, is a young man, while to the right is an elderly man.

The dominant colours are dark brown, light beige, and white. The figures are set in semi-darkness, illuminated by the glow of a torch. The light falls primarily on the woman’s face and neckline and on the faces of the two men.

The woman wears a white headwrap resembling a turban. She turns her face to the left. Her eyebrows form a strong, clear line, and her dark eyes gaze toward the left side of the painting. Her plump cheeks and upturned nose are flushed. Her slightly parted lips give her expression one of surprise, intensified by her rounded chin with a small dimple. From the deep neckline of her simple white dress emerges a rounded breast. The skin of her neck and chest is very pale, contrasting with the sun-darkened skin of her right hand.

She points her index finger toward the elderly man. In her left hand she holds the torch. Its flame obscures the old man's left hand, which he raises in a defensive gesture. He turns his head toward our left. The top of his head is bald, with grey hair on the sides. Horizontal wrinkles cross his forehead. His dark eyes, under bushy brows, look toward the young man with an expression of sorrow and fear. His face is covered by a short, dense grey beard.

His shoulders are draped in a light brown cloak. The sleeve of his raised left arm is grasped by the young man, who is a soldier wearing shiny metal armour. On his head he wears a hat adorned with a large feather. Locks of blond hair spill out from beneath it. His smooth facial skin reveals his very young age. His lips part as if he were about to speak. With the index finger of his left hand, he points toward the elderly man.

The figures stand before a dark brown background.

The scene depicts the moment described in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Mark: a servant girl recognizes Peter as a disciple of Jesus. The young soldier attempts to seize him, but Peter denies knowing his master.

The work belongs to a group of paintings created within the circle of the so-called Utrecht Caravaggisti—Dutch artists associated with Utrecht who were directly inspired by the art of Caravaggio. Among the most important representatives of this movement were Hendrick ter Brugghen, Gerrit van Honthorst, and Dirck van Baburen himself.

Audio description consultation: Adrian Wyka
Content consultation: Miłosz Kargol