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Diego Velázquez, 'Christ contemplated by the Christian Soul', probably 1628-9

About the work

Overview

Tied to a column, Christ has collapsed to the floor. His limp body, tilted head and pained expression show his exhaustion and suffering. Velázquez shows the moment after the Flagellation, when Christ was flogged by Roman soldiers – we can see the sticks and whip they used lying in the foreground. The brutality of this assault is implied by trickles and spots of blood on Christ’s body and the column.

Kneeling beside Christ is a young boy representing the Christian Soul and its Guardian Angel. The angel gently directs the boy to consider the suffering of Christ, and a ray of light radiates from Christ’s head towards the boy’s heart.

In the seventeenth century worshippers were encouraged to meditate on Christ’s Passion (his torture and crucifixion) and to imagine that they were present at the events leading up to the Crucifixion.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Christ after the Flagellation contemplated by the Christian Soul
Artist dates
1599 - 1660
Date made
probably 1628-9
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
165.1 × 206.4 cm
Acquisition credit
Presented by John Savile Lumley (later Baron Savile), 1883
Inventory number
NG1148
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
17th-century Italian Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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