Christ Presented to the People (Ecce Homo) by Rembrandt van Rijn

Christ Presented to the People (Ecce Homo) 1655

drawing, print, etching, ink

portrait

drawing

ink drawing

baroque

print

etching

figuration

ink

history-painting

Rembrandt's etching, *Christ Presented to the People (Ecce Homo)* (1655), depicts the biblical moment when Pontius Pilate presents Jesus to the crowd before his crucifixion. Rembrandt's use of chiaroscuro, or dramatic contrast of light and dark, creates a sense of depth and drama within the crowded scene. The etching is also notable for its detailed rendering of the figures and their expressions, revealing the range of reactions to Jesus's appearance. This artwork is now housed in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Comments

rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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Rembrandt stages the scene with a multitude of figures, each responding individually to the events on the dais. Pilate, with the long staff, points at Christ and leaves the choice to the people to release either ‘the King of the Jews’ or the murderer Barabbas. The outcome is known. Rembrandt created this enormous scene entirely in drypoint, scratching directly into the copperplate.