Stefano Mulinari, 1760
This powerful etching uses dramatic light and shadow to depict the flagellation of Christ, drawing you into a scene of intense suffering and emotional depth. It's a striking example of 18th-century religious printmaking.
In this dramatic etching, Christ stands bound to a column, his body illuminated against a dark, shadowy background as he endures the flagellation. Two figures, their faces obscured in shadow or turned away, raise whips, poised to strike. The scene is rendered with a stark contrast between light and dark, a technique known as chiaroscuro, which intensifies the emotional impact of the moment. The brown ink and aquatint medium lend a warm, almost sepia tone to the print, evoking a sense of age and solemnity. This work, created around 1760, captures the raw emotion and suffering central to the narrative, drawing the viewer into the sacred drama. The artist, Stefano Mulinari, was active in the latter half of the 18th century, and his work often explored religious themes.
The way Christ's body glows, almost unnaturally, against the dark setting.
The blurred, indistinct faces of the flagellators, adding to their menacing anonymity.
The texture created by the aquatint, giving a painterly depth to the shadows.
This powerful etching uses dramatic light and shadow to depict the flagellation of Christ, drawing you into a scene of intense suffering and emotional depth. I…
Italian engraver who transformed devotional scenes into intimate etchings with aquatint and colored washes.
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