991 - ALONSO CANO (Granada 1601 - 1667) - Child Jesus with attributes of the Passion (c.1650)

ALONSO CANO (Granada 1601 - 1667) - Child Jesus with attributes of the Passion (c.1650) Oil on canvas. Measurements: 70 x 56 cm (without frame), 80 x 65 cm (with frame). We would like to thank Mr. Enrique Valdivieso González for his help in cataloguing this work. The work represents the Child Jesus with attributes of the Passion, a piece that, due to its stylistic characteristics, can be attributed as an original by Alonso Cano, made in Madrid around 1650. In this painting, Cano uses a child model that stands out for its physical expressiveness, a recurring feature in his work, used on multiple occasions throughout his artistic career. As for the From the iconography of the canvas, it can be noted that the Child Jesus is represented as the savior of the world, carrying a sphere crowned by a cross located to the left of his figure. In addition, the work includes various symbols related to his Passion, death and resurrection: on the ground you can see the scourge with which he was whipped, the rope with which he was dragged to Calvary, the three nails that held him to the cross, the sign with the INRI placed on top of the wood, and the spear that pierced his side. The reference to his resurrection is evident in the skull that the Child steps on, symbolizing his triumph over death. The technique of loose, scrubbed brushstrokes used in this work is characteristic of Cano's style in the middle years of the 17th century. This resource was used by the artist to create numerous images of children, similar to the one seen in this canvas. Comparable examples can be found in representations of the Virgin and Child, such as the painting preserved in the Cathedral of Seville and another in the collegiate church of San Antolín, in Medina del Campo. (Text taken from Mr. Valdivieso's document)