The Passion: The Flagellation
1597
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1597
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Passion: The Flagellation is a 1597 by Hendrik Goltzius, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
The painting shows Jesus bound to a column, being whipped by two men. He's muscular, but his face is anguished. The scene is intense, with a lot happening in a small space. This intensity is partly due to the urban setting, which is unusual for this type of scene. The artist chose to show the event in a compressed space, making it feel more urgent. You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique of chiaroscuro.
