Flemish school; 17th century.

Flemish school; XVII century.
"The coronation of thorns".
Oil on copper.
It presents faults and Repainting on the pictorial surface.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 69 x 87 cm; 97 x 80 cm (frame).
The theme of the mockery of Christ by several Roman soldiers and executioners, narrated in the New Testament (in the gospels of Matthew and Mark), had great diffusion in the arts. In the present work, two executioners place the crown of thorns on Christ's head, while a third offers him a reed as a scepter. The restrained aggressiveness in the gestures of the three characters who look at the Redeemer with anger stands out. The palette and qualities denote the influence of the Flemish school. The skillful handling of details gives drama to the scene while defining the space with naturalness. The emphasis on feisty expressiveness is typical of the school.
The Flemish school was characterized by the great influence of the Flemish primitives, which survived for a long time, largely due to the political and cultural ties between the two countries. Flemish painting was, in the 15th century, the most advanced in Europe, and influenced all national schools, including Italian. It was considered an art of enormous refinement, with works executed and treated as jewels. This consideration was also due to the very rich materials used in its execution, as well as the assemblies of the panels, which, as we see here, were of great richness.