Italian school; end of the XVI century.

Italian school; late sixteenth century.
"Ecce homo".
Oil on copper.
It has French frame c. 1700.
Measurements: 51,5 x 40,5 cm; 62 x 51,5 cm (frame).
This work presents Christ crowned with thorns in the culminating moment of the Ecce Homo, one of the most charged themes of devotional intensity of the Christian iconography. The figure, depicted bust-length and slightly inclined, is offered to the viewer with an expression of melancholy resignation that appeals to both compassion and inner meditation. The lowered gaze, the soft modeling of the face and the delicacy with which the features are described evidence a clear dependence on Correggio's models, especially in the emotional treatment and in the restrained sensuality of the flesh.
The work stands out for its technical quality, enhanced by the copper support, which allows a smooth and shiny surface, ideal for the application of fine glazes and subtle light transitions. The chiaroscuro is restrained but effective: a warm light falls on the naked torso and face of Christ, making them emerge from the dark background and reinforcing the sensation of physical and spiritual presence. The crown of thorns, meticulously described, and the gilded radiate nimbus, treated with almost miniaturist precision, add an ornamental counterpoint that underlines the double human and divine condition of the person represented.