Spanish school of the second half of the 17th century.

Spanish school of the second half of the seventeenth century.
"Ecce Homo.
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents losses in the polychrome.
Measurements: 61,5 x 45,5 cm; 80 x 64 cm (frame).
In the context of the Spain of the Golden Age, deeply marked by the spirituality of the Counter-Reformation, the religious image was conceived as a privileged means for the contemplation of the redemptive suffering of Christ. The theme of Ecce Homo, representing Jesus presented to the people after the scourging, fully responded to this sensibility, being one of the most demanded subjects for private oratories as well as for convents and semi-public spaces.
From a stylistic point of view, the work is characterized by a marked naturalism, visible in the modeling of the body and in the anatomical veracity, as well as by an expressive use of color in strong contrast with a dark and neutral background. This resource, heir to tenebrism, enhances the physical presence of the figure and reinforces the meditative character of the image. The directed lighting, which falls on the face and torso of Christ, not only models the volumes, but also acts as a metaphor.