"Christ Mocked" or "Christ as Ecce Homo" is considered to be Ensor's first etching. Since the Middle Ages, the theme has recurred regularly in art. Moreover, Ensor repeatedly took his inspiration from ancient art. Here the composition, the Orientalist figures and the lighting effects refer to Rembrandt. Gustave Doré's chiaroscuro was also an inspiration. Typologically, the work of Jacques Callot also served as a model, for example in the man on crutches and the soldier. On the other hand, the sculpted lion opposite Pontius Pilate (seated on the podium) refers to the etching "Chimaera", created in 1888 (inv. 1998-B-25). The etching is based on two drawings by Ensor from 1885 on the same theme (Düsseldorf, Kunstmuseum, inv. K. 1983-74; MSK Ghent, inv. 1988-C, part of the series "The Aureoles of Christ").
| Artist |
James Ensor
RKD
VIAF
Wikidata
|
|---|---|
| Title | Christ Mocked |
| Date | 1886 |
| Period | 19th century |
| Medium and support | etching AAT |
| Signatures, inscriptions, and markings | signature, year and title bottom right: James Ensor 1886 / Le christ montré au peuple |
| inscription on the reverse: AT | |
| inscription on the reverse: 15 / D1 | |
| Collection | print room |
| Object type | etching AAT |
| Inventory number | 1998-B-1 |
| Acquisition credit |
purchase
Taevernier, Auguste (coll.) 1998 |
| Current whereabouts | Work currently not on display |
| Permalink | https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1998-B-1 |
| IIIF Manifest | https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/3989/manifest.json |
| Art & Architecture Thesaurus | 300055874 religious symbolism AAT |
|---|---|
| Keywords Iconclass |
33B11
mocking, insulting; teasing
Iconclass
73 New Testament Iconclass 73C public life of Christ: from his baptism until the Passion Iconclass 73D353 mockings of Christ, who may be blindfolded Iconclass 73D36 Pilate showing Christ to the people, 'Ostentatio Christi', 'Ecce Homo' (John 19:4-6) Iconclass |
| School / Style |
Symbolism (artistic concept)
AAT
phantasy historicism (theory) AAT |
| James Ensor : Catalogue illustré de ses gravures ; Leur description critique et l'inventaire des plaques = Geïllustreerde catalogus van zijn gravures ; Hun kritische beschrijving en inventaris van de platen = Illustrated catalogue of his engravings ; Their critical description and inventary of the plates / Auguste Taevernier. - Ledeberg (Gent) : Erasmus Boekhandel bv Amsterdam, 1973 (nr. 1) |
|
Do you have any suggestions, questions or information about this work? Write us, collectie.msk@stad.gent |
