Artwork
Flagellation of Christ
Flagellation of Christ is a drawing by the Baroque artist Gaspare Diziani. It dates from 1752 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Flagellation of Christ is a drawing by Gaspare Diziani, created circa 1752, exemplifying the late-Baroque to Rococo transition in Italian art. The work is characterized by a dynamic, chaotic depiction of the titular scene.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing illustrates the biblical episode of Christ's flagellation, with the central figure bound and whipped, encircled by a multitude of onlookers in dramatic, expressive poses, conveying turmoil and emotional intensity.
Technique & Style
Executed with loose, sketchy lines and rapid strokes, the drawing conveys a sense of urgency. Diziani employed strong chiaroscuro, achieving depth through pronounced light-and-shadow contrasts, particularly evident in the rendering of faces and hands.
History & Provenance
Created during Diziani's prolific period across Venice, Dresden, and Munich, the drawing is now part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. The paper's aged appearance, with worn, browned edges, attests to its antiquity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gaspare Diziani (1689 – 17 August 1767) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Roccoco period, active mainly in the Republic of Venice but also in Dresden and Munich.
The Flagellation
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The Martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul [recto]
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The Flagellation of Christ