The Flagellation

Fernando Gallego painted this Flagellation around 1500, depicting the scourging of Christ before his crucifixion. Gallego was the most powerful painter of the Hispano-Flemish school in Castile, known for his harsh, angular style that derived from Netherlandish models but took on a distinctly Spanish intensity. His Passion scenes are among the most emotionally raw in European art. The oil medium allowed for rich tonal transitions and glazed layers of color that created luminous depth impossible with the older tempera technique.

Oil on panel with Gallego's characteristic angular drapery, intense facial expressions, and strong color contrasts. The violent scene is staged with graphic directness that defines the Hispano-Flemish style.