Oval portrait of Christ with crown of thorns, Ecce Homo, carved frame, 18th century
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Oil on oval panel representing an "Ecce Homo"*, that is to say a portrait of Christ wearing the crown of thorns, with a melancholic air, his eyes turned towards heaven in a sign of acceptance of his destiny and his coming sacrifice, in a carved and gilded wooden frame, from the 18th century.
This painting is in good overall condition, in its original state. It will need cleaning. The frame, however, has suffered some damage due to age: it has already been reinforced (on the back), and a piece of wood now covers an old handwritten label.
The expression "Ecce Homo" means "Behold the Man" and is said to have been uttered by Pontius Pilate, according to the Gospel of John, at the moment of Christ's presentation to the crowd before his crucifixion. Artistic representations typically depict him naked, bloodied, wearing his crown of thorns, his eyes turned towards Heaven, his hands sometimes bound. The aim of artists of the time was to evoke a strong emotional response in the viewer and thus foster piety and devotion.
Please note: a piece of wood is detached at the bottom and will need to be glued back on, there are still some accidents and missing parts in the lower section, wear and tear and missing gilding, look carefully at the photos.