Flemish school of the mid-18th century

Flemish school of the mid-18th century.
"Christ on the way to Calvary", 1761.
Relief in walnut wood.
Dated in the lower left corner.
It presents restorations in the staircase.

This relief represents a biblical passage of the Passion, specifically that of Jesus on his way to Golgotha with the cross on his back where he will be executed. Formally the piece has been made with the technique of "schiacciato", a system of modeling in sculptural relief used by the Romans and perfected in the fifteenth century by Donatello, which consists of proportionally reducing the bulk of the relief according to the depth to be represented. This sculptural technique makes it possible to create a bas-relief with a minimal variation (sometimes referred to as millimeters) with respect to the background. To give the viewer the illusion of depth, the gradual decrease in the depth of the thickness is complemented by the rigorous application of the laws of perspective, which enhances the visual effect. Thus, while the characters in the foreground protrude far out of the plane (see the figure of Christ or the Roman soldiers), worked in high relief, the landscape and the buildings in the background rise much less, and their details are defined with a softer, shallower chiseling. In this relief, the level of detail achieved by the author is impressive, who manages to precisely define the anatomy of the protagonists and even the folds of the fabrics.

Exhausted by the blood lost in the scourging, weakened by the physical and moral sufferings that had been inflicted on him the night before, and without having slept, Jesus could barely take a few steps and soon fell under the weight of the cross. Then followed the blows and imprecations of the soldiers, the expectant laughter of the public. The Messiah, with all the strength of his will and with all his strength, managed to get up to continue on his way. According to theological interpretations, Jesus invites us with his actions to carry our cross and to follow him, he teaches us here that we too can fall, and that we must understand those who fall; that no one must remain prostrate, we must all get up with humility and trust, seeking his help and forgiveness.