Man of Sorrows by the Column

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a muscular man standing with his arms tied behind his back. He’s wearing a crown of thorns and a cloth wrapped around his waist. To his left, a woman kneels, looking up at him with a sad face. Behind them, a tall column and a half-open doorway with the year "1509" carved into the stone. The man’s bare feet and rough ropes suggest suffering, while the woman’s gesture might be prayer or grief. The scene feels tense, with light falling sharply on their faces. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow like this.