This representation of Christ on the Cross is set in a landscape, where some trees are the only scenic element.

Alonso Cano made various paintings like this one over the course of his career, and all of them were related to the profound religiosity in which Spanish Baroque painting was steeped, as well as the intense presence of devotional aspects of society during that period.

The combination of deeply dramatic elements such as the red evening light that contrasts with Jesus' naked body, with other more classical elements, such as his serene expression, make this one of the most highly esteemed of Cano's works. It masterfully combines the natural elegance of his style with intense emotional tension.