Christ at the Column
1538
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1538
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Christ at the Column is a 1538 ink by Virgil Solis, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a chaotic scene with a half-naked man tied to a tall column, surrounded by a crowd of people. Some are pulling his arms, others are screaming or reaching toward him, while one person lies on the ground in the foreground. The background has arched doorways and a crumbling wall, giving the scene a dark, crowded feel. The artist used lots of tight, crisscrossed lines to build up shadows and textures, especially on the bodies and the column. This technique makes the scene feel rough and intense. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with lines like these.
