Flemish school; second third of the XVII century.

Flemish school; second third of the XVII century.
"The meeting of Christ and Mary on the road to Calvary".
Oil on copper.
It presents faults in the frame.
It has illegible signature in the center of the scene.
Measurements: 69 x 86 cm; 88 x 110 cm (frame).
Characteristic work of the Flemish school of the second third of the XVII century. The scene represents a deeply emotional moment in the story of the Passion of Christ: the moment when Jesus, exhausted under the weight of the cross, stumbles and meets his mother Mary on the way to Golgotha.
The composition is organized in a dense plane, full of figures, where the dramatic tension is amplified by gestures, gazes and hallmarks of light. Christ, in the center and in a fallen position, is the symbolic and emotional axis of the scene. The crown of thorns and the afflicted face denote both the physical suffering and the spiritual burden of the sacrifice. In front of him, Mary, dressed in a blue mantle that alludes to her purity, appears submerged in a gesture of contained pain, kneeling on the ground, in a position that symbolizes both humility and maternal impotence.
The Roman soldiers, with shining armor and tense expressions, surround the scene creating a suffocating effect, closing the space and accentuating the dramatic charge of the moment. A half-naked man, probably Simon of Cyrene, appears helping with effort to lift the cross, which adds a dynamic component of action.
The painting displays a masterful technique typical of the Flemish Baroque school. The use of oil allows a precise gradation in the nuances of the skin, the folds of the fabrics and the metallic sheens. Chiaroscuro is used with mastery to direct attention to the protagonists: the light falls on Christ and Mary, leaving the soldiers in the background in shadow, which establishes a strong emotional and narrative contrast.
The brushstroke is loose but controlled, with a remarkable attention to detail in faces, gestures and textures. This manner of painting is typical of the Flemish tradition, which throughout the 17th century combined the meticulous heritage of late Gothic with the monumentality and pathos of Italian Baroque. The coloring is vibrant, especially in the reds, blues and golds, but restrained in its symbolism.
Works like this one stand out not only for their devotional charge but also for their technical excellence. They reflect the high artistic level reached by the Flemish workshops, where religious painting was conceived both as an instrument of meditation and visual splendor. The Flemish school of the 17th century, with figures such as Rubens, Van Dyck or Jordaens, redefined sacred art by endowing it with humanity, movement and theatricality.

This painting, in particular, is a perfect example of how Flemish art knew how to move the viewer through an intense narrative, a dazzling technique and a deep symbolic sense. The encounter between Christ and Mary, beyond its liturgical function, becomes here a scene of powerful human and universal empathy.