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| Head of Christ |
Artist:
Petrus Christus (Netherlandish, Baarle-Hertog (Baerle-Duc), active by 1444–died 1475/76 Bruges)
Date:
ca. 1445
Medium:
Oil on parchment, laid down on wood
Dimensions:
Overall 5 7/8 x 4 1/4 in. (14.9 x 10.8 cm); parchment 5 3/4 x 4 1/8 in. (14.6 x 10.5 cm)
Classification:
Paintings
Credit Line:
Bequest of Lillian S. Timken, 1959
This intimate image of Christ’s head, intended for private devotion, derives from a lost picture of the Holy Face by Jan van Eyck, now known only through copies. Following the Eyckian composition, Petrus Christus treated the head like a portrait by surrounding it with a fictive frame, thereby underscoring the physical immediacy of Christ. His depiction differs from the prototype, however, in presenting Christ with furrowed brow, the crown of thorns, and drops of blood running down his forehead and onto his chest. These details stimulated a more compassionate reflection on the crucified Christ’s suffering by engaging the empathy of the viewer.
Provenance
private collection, Spain; [Lucas Moreno, Paris, until 1910; sold to Kleinberger for Fr 1,500]; [Kleinberger, Paris, 1910–31]; Mr. and Mrs. William R. Timken, New York (1931–49); Mrs. William R. (Lillian S.) Timken, New York (1949–d. 1959)
Copyright Image
https://images.metmuseum.org
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