Artwork
Flagellation of Christ
Flagellation of Christ is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Adriaen van der Werff. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Adriaen van der Werff’s oil painting *Flagellation of Christ* was executed in 1710. The work belongs to the later phase of the Dutch Golden Age and is presently part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich. It illustrates the biblical episode in which Christ is scourged before his crucifixion.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a half‑naked figure receiving blows from a whip held by a standing tormentor. Two additional men occupy the background: one leans against a wall, while another sits on the floor clutching a small object. The arrangement emphasizes the physical suffering of Christ and the surrounding cruelty.
Technique & Style
Van der Werff employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, casting deep shadows in the corners and illuminating the flesh and drapery with stark highlights. This contrast heightens the drama and draws attention to the central figure’s contorted body, a hallmark of the artist’s refined, polished manner.
History & Provenance
The painter, active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, was known for both devotional subjects and mythological scenes, and he supplied works to patrons such as the Medici family. *Flagellation of Christ* entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings, where it remains on display.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen van der Werff (21 January 1659 – 12 November 1722) was a Dutch painter of portraits and erotic, devotional and mythological scenes.
Cupid Kissing Venus (Venus Kissed by Amor)
God Holds Adam and Eve Responsible
A Nymph Dancing to a Shepherd's Flute-Playing
The Holy Family
Bubble-blowing Girl with a Vanitas Still Life
Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)
Self-portrait with the Portrait of his Wife, Margaretha van Rees, and their Daughter Maria
Portrait of Johann Wilhelm Elector of Palatine (1658-1716)