Artwork
Flagellation of Christ
Flagellation of Christ is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Adriaen van der Werff. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Technique & Style
The panel support and oil medium reflect the technical conventions of the period, ensuring stability and luminosity in the depiction of drapery and flesh tones.
The Flagellation of Christ by Adriaen van der Werff is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, adhering to the traditional panel-painting technique favored by Dutch and German artists of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Measuring 82 cm in height and 58 cm in width, the composition demonstrates a refined, smooth handling typical of van der Werff’s academic approach, characterized by meticulous modeling of figures and restrained emotional expression. The scene’s formal qualities emphasize classical clarity and symmetry, with carefully arranged figures and controlled lighting that highlight the dramatic moment of Christ’s scourging.
The panel support and oil medium reflect the technical conventions of the period, ensuring stability and luminosity in the depiction of drapery and flesh tones.
History & Provenance
Adriaen van der Werff executed the oil painting Flagellation of Christ on panel in 1710. The work was commissioned by Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who also served as its initial owner. Following its creation, the painting entered the Elector's personal collection, which later formed the core of the Electoral Gallery in Dusseldorf.
Today, the artwork is held within the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is exhibited at the Alte Pinakothek.
The painting is held by the Alte Pinakothek in Munich as part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It entered the collection through the Electoral Gallery Düsseldorf, which was assembled by Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who also commissioned the work in 1710.
The painting has been exhibited under the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is recorded with inventory dimensions of 82 cm in height and 58 cm in width.
Overview
Adriaen van der Werff’s oil painting Flagellation of Christ was executed in 1710. The work belongs to the later phase of the Dutch Golden Age and is presently part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich. It illustrates the biblical episode in which Christ is scourged before his crucifixion.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a half‑naked figure receiving blows from a whip held by a standing tormentor. Two additional men occupy the background: one leans against a wall, while another sits on the floor clutching a small object. The arrangement emphasizes the physical suffering of Christ and the surrounding cruelty.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen van der Werff (21 January 1659 – 12 November 1722) was a Dutch painter of portraits and erotic, devotional and mythological scenes.
Cupid Kissing Venus (Venus Kissed by Amor)
God Holds Adam and Eve Responsible
A Nymph Dancing to a Shepherd's Flute-Playing
The Holy Family
Bubble-blowing Girl with a Vanitas Still Life
Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)
Self-portrait with the Portrait of his Wife, Margaretha van Rees, and their Daughter Maria
Portrait of Johann Wilhelm Elector of Palatine (1658-1716)
