A hand-coloured woodcut by Doen Pietersz. depicting the biblical scene of Christ washing the feet of Saint Peter.

This hand-coloured woodcut by the Dutch printer and publisher Doen Pietersz. depicts the biblical narrative of the Washing of the Feet. The scene captures the moment Christ kneels to wash the feet of Saint Peter, a gesture of humility and service. The composition is typical of early sixteenth-century book illustration, where the figures are arranged within a compact, architectural space. The artist employs bold, clear lines to define the forms, which are then filled with flat, applied colour.

Pietersz. was active in Amsterdam during the early decades of the sixteenth century, a period when the production of devotional books was a primary focus for local workshops. The woodcut medium allowed for the mass production of such images, making religious narratives accessible to a wider audience. The figures are rendered with a focus on narrative clarity rather than anatomical precision, reflecting the stylistic conventions of the time. The surrounding group of disciples is suggested through overlapping heads and varied expressions, creating a sense of a crowded interior.

The use of colour, applied by hand after the initial printing of the black ink lines, adds a decorative quality to the scene. The palette is restrained, relying on primary and secondary tones to distinguish the garments of the figures. This work provides a glimpse into the visual culture of the Northern Renaissance, where the intersection of printing technology and religious devotion shaped the aesthetic of the era. The print remains a representative example of the woodcut illustrations found in prayer books and liturgical texts of the period, demonstrating the technical approach of the Amsterdam printing trade during the early Reformation years.