Head of Christ

Head of Christ, dated 1521, shows Jesus wearing the crown of thorns, his head turned in half profile toward the viewer. The white cloth behind him points to the Veil of Veronica, the legend in which a woman wiped Christ's face on the road to Golgotha and his features were miraculously left on the fabric. Correggio builds the head with strong contrasts of light and shadow that define the nose, cheekbones and neck, while muted color softens the sculptural effect. Christ's slightly parted lips and direct gaze give the face an intense pathos, as though he were pleading for mercy. The panel is small and was probably meant for private devotion. Art historian John Shearman described it as a 'transitive work', one that needs the viewer's emotional engagement and is only completed in the physical presence of the image. The painting reflects Correggio's fresh, bold approach to sacred figures in the early 1520s.

Painter

Antonio da Correggio

Date

1521

Medium

oil paint, panel

Dimensions

286 × 235 cm

Museum

J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Genre

religious art

Depicts

Jesus Christ, man

Share:FacebookWhatsApp