Man of Sorrows

Master Francke's Man of Sorrows, dated around 1420 and now in the Museum der bildenden Künste in Leipzig, depicts Christ displaying the wounds of the Passion — the image known as the Imago Pietatis or Man of Sorrows that was among the most potent devotional images of late medieval Christianity. The type, which shows the half-length figure of Christ emerging from the tomb or displayed alone, was associated with miracle-working images in Rome and was reproduced and adapted across Europe as an object of private devotion. Master Francke's version is distinguished by the emotional intensity and expressiveness that characterize his best work, making the viewer's compassionate response unavoidable.

Francke models the figure of Christ with unusual expressiveness, the face showing the marks of suffering without losing a devotional calm. The wounds are displayed with clarity as theological symbols. Warm flesh tones against a gold ground create a concentrated devotional image. Brushwork is confident and fluid.