Oval Hsp Portrait Of Christ With A Crown Of Thorns, "ecce Homo," In A Carved 17th-century Frame

Oil on an oval panel depicting an “Ecce Homo”*, that is, a portrait of Christ wearing the crown of thorns, looking melancholy, his eyes turned toward the heavens in a sign of acceptance of his fate and his impending sacrifice, in a carved and gilded wooden frame dating from the late 17th to early 18th centuries.

This painting is in good overall condition, in its original state. It will need to be cleaned. The frame, however, has suffered some damage due to the passage of time: it has already been reinforced (on the back), and a piece of wood conceals an old handwritten label.

The expression "Ecce Homo" means "Behold the Man" and is said to have been uttered by Pontius Pilate, according to the Gospel of Saint John, when Christ was presented to the crowd before his crucifixion. Artistic depictions typically show him naked, bloodied, wearing his crown of thorns, his eyes turned toward Heaven, and sometimes with his hands bound. The goal of artists of that era was to evoke a strong emotional response in the viewer and thereby foster piety and devotion.

Please note: a piece of wood is coming loose at the bottom and will need to be reattached; there are damage and missing sections, particularly in the lower part, as well as wear and missing gilding—please examine the photos carefully.

• Frame: 26.7 cm x 31.7 cm
• Panel: 18 cm x 22.2 cm
• All photos are available at:
  www.antiques-delaval.com