Man of Sorrows

Abstract

Here Christ is shown as dead, his body half-hidden in the tomb, but also upright, with his eyes not entirely closed, and so while the image shows Christ's suffering, it also hints at the coming Resurrection. The paint on this marble sculpture is only partially preserved -- presumably painted flesh and bloody wounds originally enhanced the pathos of the image. The half-length format, like a portrait, brings Christ close to the devotee. The delicately sculpted hair, fingers, and ribs elevate the figure. This relief, dated on the basis of style to the fourteenth century, is currently housed in the Pinacoteca Malaspina in Pavia. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.