Christ Crucified

Velázquez's Christ Crucified, also known as the Christ of San Plácido, shows Jesus already dead, naked except for the loincloth, with no narrative scene around him. It is a frontal nude in which the painter sought a balance of serenity, dignity and nobility. According to the reference texts, his studies of the human body based on classical models, made during his first trip to Italy between 1629 and 1630, prepared this result, which can also be seen in works such as The Forge of Vulcan. The figure stands out against a greenish-grey background, with light coming from the left and casting a shadow on the wall. The body is modelled with thick paint and loose brushstrokes, and in some areas the artist scratched the wet paint with the tip of his brush to create texture, as in the hair falling over the shoulders. Velázquez avoids explicit drama: there is hardly any visible blood, the bowed head reveals part of the face, and the figure does not seem to collapse.

One of the most discussed features is the iconographic choice of four nails instead of three, a position defended by his father-in-law and teacher Francisco Pacheco against the more widespread Gothic custom. Velázquez adopted this model, with the legs parallel and the feet firmly resting on the footrest, which gives the figure a stable appearance without twisted poses. Shadows are built up with thin, diluted glazes of colour, and highlights with touches of lead white, while a faint halo around the head underlines the spiritual dimension of the scene. The work has been in the Museo del Prado since 1829 and has inspired poets such as José María Gabriel y Galán and Miguel de Unamuno, a sign of its lasting weight in later Spanish culture.

Painter

Diego Velázquez

Date

1632

Medium

oil paint, canvas

Dimensions

248 × 169 cm

Museum

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Genre

religious art

Depicts

cross, Jesus Christ, man

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