CHRISTUS, PETER (c. 1400-1473). A Flemish painter, born at Baerle in North Brabant soon after 1400. He became a citizen of Bruges in 1444. His style was modelled on that of the Van Eycks. His execution was conscientious but lacked the vital qualities of his great forerunners. He signed his pictures "Petrus XPR or XPI." The following paintings bear his signature and are dated :—"The Portrait of Edward Grimston" in the Earl of Veru lam's collection, Gorhambury, England (1446) ; "The Portrait of a Monk" in the collection of Marquis de Dos Aguas at Valencia (1446) ; "The Interior of a Goldsmith's Shop" in the possession of Philip Lehmann at New York ; a half length "Madonna Nursing the Child" at Schloss Vollrads near Wiesbaden two wings of an altar piece representing "The Nativity," the "Annunciation," and the "Last Judgment" at the Berlin museum (1452) ; the "Madonna with Saints" at the Staedel, Frankfurt Besides these a number of unsigned pictures are ascribed to him, among which are two fine portraits, one in the Salting col lection at the National Gallery, London, the other at the Berlin museum; and "The Nativity" in the possession of Henry Gold man at New York. The last known picture by Christus is the "Pieta" in the Brussels gallery (c. 146o). An earlier version of the same subject is in the New York museum. There is reason to be lieve that Christus visited Italy and taught Antonello da Messina the Van Eyck method. He had a son Sebastian and a grandson Peter II. who were both painters.