Circle of Giuseppe Cesari, “Cavaliere d’Arpino” (ca. 1560/68-1640)

The exceptional quality of this work would suggest that it must have been painted in Rome in the late 16th century by an artist in the circle of Cavaliere d’Arpino (1568-1640). Likewise, it was probably accompanied by an analogue piece of the Virgin Mary as was customary in this kind of small-format and therefore portable representation, often produced for private devotion.The serene beauty of the face is offset by a barely hinted gesture of reproach, striking us with its implied acceptance of his future sacrifice.

This image signals a moment of transformation in Italian art, when oil painting, a technique introduced from the Low Countries, started to open up new possibilities for Mediterranean painters. The figure, depicted in three-quarters and slightly in profile, follows the Renaissance canon applied to Christ: the hair with a centre parting, the beard split in two and a red cloak.