Madrid school, possibly FRANCISCO RIZI (Madrid, 1614 - El Escorial, 1685); XVII century.

Madrid school, possibly FRANCISCO RIZI (Madrid, 1614 - El Escorial, 1685); XVII century.
"Ecce homo.
Oil on panel.
It has a frame of the time.
Measurements: 40 x 23 cm; 55 x 38 cm (frame).
This work presents with emotional intensity the moment in which Christ, crowned with thorns and covered with the red mantle of the mockery, is shown to the people before his crucifixion. The composition, of elongated format and theatrical structure, concentrates the action around the central figure of Christ, whose serene expression contrasts with the agitation of the surrounding characters. The directed lighting, with strong chiaroscuro, emphasizes the drama of the scene and reveals the influence of tenebrism, a characteristic resource of 17th century Madrid painting. The use of a warm and earthy palette, together with the loose and vibrant brushstroke, recalls the mature style of Rizi, in whom the naturalistic heritage of Caravaggio and the scenographic grandiloquence of the courtly baroque converge. The artist thus achieves a synthesis between devotion and theatricality, presenting the suffering of Christ not only as a narrative episode, but as a visual meditation on redemption and divine compassion.
Francisco Rizi was an outstanding painter of the Spanish Baroque. Son of the Italian artist Antonio Ricci, who came to Spain to work at El Escorial with Federico Zuccaro, and brother of the painter and theorist Juan Andrés Rizi, he Spanishized his surname and trained first with his father and then with Vicente Carducho, of whom he was one of the most brilliant disciples.
From a young age he was linked to the court and in 1656 he was appointed painter to the king. He developed a very versatile career, combining religious and easel painting with ephemeral and theatrical decorations, especially for the Buen Retiro Palace, where he directed the scenographic montages for many years. He also worked intensely for the cathedral of Toledo, where he was named its official painter in 1653.
Rizi was a fully Baroque artist, characterized by his loose brushwork, rich color and ability to create movement and depth, especially in his frescoes of architectural perspectives and open skies. His last work was La Sagrada Forma for the sacristy of El Escorial, finished after his death by his disciple Claudio Coello.
Among his most outstanding works preserved in the Prado Museum are Auto de fe en la Plaza Mayor de Madrid, El Expolio de Cristo, La profanación de un crucifijo and San Andrés.