Christ Crucified
1660 - 1670. Oil on canvas Not on displayAlong with the Virgin of Atocha (P5536), this is one of the most interesting examples of religious paintings known as divine trompe l’oeil works, in which a famous votive sculpture is replaced with its own “true portrait.” Such likenesses so closely imitated the original that the faithful might actually think they were in its presence. We do not know what concrete image is presented in this depiction of a real chamber, with its sumptuous adornments and a magnificently rendered trompe l’oeil architectural background that reflects the technique of a skilled disciple of Mitelli and Colonna. The image is surrounded by a wreath of roses, as frequently occurred with especially votive images, and rather than a loincloth, Jesus wears a rich, embroidered skirt that covers the greater part of his legs, a presentation common throughout Spain at that time. In the foreground, a group of child angels play with the attributes of Christ’s passion (a gigantic nail, a tibia and a skull). Other flying angels spread the curtains that close off the chamber like a pavilion. It is difficult to date this work, as its singularity does not offer any solid points for comparison, but it must be close in time to the Virgin of Atocha, and therefore between 1660 and 1670.