Study of a seated male figure (Ecce Homo?)
Juan Carreño de Miranda Spanish
Not on view
In the later part of his career in Madrid, Carreño prepared a number of carefully modeled drawings on colored paper, including this striking example. The figure was no doubt drawn from a model in the studio, which accounts for its naturalism. The drawing is primarily a study of anatomical form. The careful rendering of the body contrasts with the lightly indicated facial features and the abbreviated strokes of the bench. It seems likely that the drawing was an autonomous study and not preparatory for a specific painting. The model’s crossed arms and lowered head, which mimic the pose often employed to reflect Christ’s humanity and humility before being crucified, suggest that Carreño might have intended the work as an ecce homo.
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