Spanish School, XVII century. "Jesus before... Lot 2

Spanish School, XVII century. "Jesus before Herod" and "Ecce Homo". Pair of oils on canvas. Size: 84 x 105 cm; 102 x 122 cm (frame). We are in front of two scenes linked to the biblical episodes of the Passion: the Ecce Homo and the presentation of Christ before Herod. Stylistically and formally they are Baroque paintings, clearly influenced by the Flemish school. In the expressiveness of the faces demanding justice and the mocking faces of the soldiers, as well as the naturalistic modeling of the bodies, the influence of Rubens can be appreciated. In the upper canvas, Jesus is introduced into Herod's court. The latter is moved and uncomfortable with the historical decision he must make. The episode is narrated in the Gospel of Luke: after being judged by the Sanhedrin, Jesus is sent to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who upon learning that he was a Galilean understood that the case would be under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas. The architectural background, based on steps, marble columns and arches, organizes the space in which the figures interact with each other forming dynamic groups. It thus offers different levels of reading and focuses of attention, between the anecdotal anecdotes of the secondary plots and the central drama. The other painting follows the same compositional model, with the architectural enclosure hosting the figures and arranging the groups. Barabbas and Christ are shown before an upset crowd, and all the arms are raised to point in unison to Christ, advancing the episode of the Crucifixion. The expressiveness concentrated in each of the characters stands out, materialized not only in the faces, but also in the muscles in tension and the dramaturgy of the gestures.