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The Mocking of Christ

Jacopo Bassano

1568

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

The Mocking of Christ is a 1568 chalk by Jacopo Bassano, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacopo Bassano
When & what style?: 1568 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a rough, crowded scene of people around a central figure with a crown of thorns. The colors are mostly faded browns, reds, and grays, with some white highlights. The lines are loose and hurried, like quick notes rather than a finished drawing. The paper looks worn, with visible creases and stains, as if it’s been handled a lot. The artist used chalk in different colors to build up the shapes, giving it a scratchy, uneven look. Next, check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create drama in drawings like this.