The mocking of Christ

The Mocking of Christ was a subject Stom treated with particular intensity, exploiting the dramatic possibilities of torchlit cruelty. This late work from around 1650 belongs to his Sicilian period, when he had fully absorbed Italian artistic traditions while retaining the sharp naturalism of his Utrecht Caravaggist training. The scene of soldiers tormenting Christ allowed Stom to populate the canvas with coarse, individualized faces. Stom's biblical subjects demonstrate the enduring vitality of the Caravaggist tradition in Sicily long after it had faded elsewhere in Europe.

Artificial light rakes across the figures from a low angle, casting upward shadows that distort the tormentors’ features into grotesque expressions. The palette is restricted to earth tones with occasional red accents.