Spanish School, XVII century. Lot n° 35

Spanish School, XVII century. "Christ tied to the column". Oil on canvas. Measurements: 56 x 40 cm.; 66 x 51,5 cm. (frame). Painting belonging to the Spanish Baroque, probably Sevillian. The theme of the Ecce Homo has been stripped of all anecdote, showing Christ with his hands tied behind him, but without the narrative attributes characteristic of this episode, such as the crown of thorns and the reed in his hand that the soldiers placed in his hand to mock him before being condemned. Here, the intensity of the chiaroscuro modeling the suffering body is enough to point out the pathos of the moment. The solitude of the salvific figure, his bowed head and half-closed eyelids accentuate the psychic isolation of the character in the face of complete abandonment. The cloth of purity as the only clothing absorbs the white of a contrasting illumination, rich in nuances, leaving the background dark. Only the neck is recognizable. The anatomical work also stands out, the expressiveness of the muscles in tension, of the veins and tendons that palpitate under the epidermis.