Ecce Homo
1575–1699
Medium
Black and red chalk on brownish paper
Dimensions
16 x 11 3/4 in. (40.5 x 29.9 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1880
Accession Number
80.3.321
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the poignant "Ecce Homo" by Reni, a masterful drawing from the late 16th to 17th century that captures biblical moment when Pontius Pilate presents the crowned Christ to the crowd, uttering "Ecce Homo" (Behold the Man). Reni, a leading figure of the Bolognese school Baroque era, was renowned for his graceful, idealized religious figures blending classical elegance with emotional depth. This intimate study exemplifies his skill in evoking Christ's suffering and divinity through subtle expression and poised posture. Executed in black and red chalk on brownish paper, the work measures 16 ...
About the Artist
Guido Reni · 1575–1642
Guido Reni (1575–1642) was one of the most celebrated Italian painters of the Baroque era and the dominant figure of the Bolognese School. Born into a family of musicians in Bologna, he trained first with Denys Calvaert before joining the influential Accademia degli Incamminati led by Ludovico Carracci. Reni achieved international fame through his idealizing style that combined Baroque dynamism wi...