Christ at the Column

Christ at the Column—the moment of flagellation—was among the most frequently depicted Passion scenes in Counter-Reformation art. Stom’s 1635 version, now at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, was painted during his Sicilian period when he was producing works for both churches and private collectors. The subject’s combination of physical suffering and spiritual endurance made it particularly resonant in Catholic Sicily. Stom's biblical subjects demonstrate the enduring vitality of the Caravaggist tradition in Sicily long after it had faded elsewhere in Europe.

Strong side-lighting models Christ’s torso with sculptural precision while the column anchors the composition vertically. The flagellators’ faces emerge partially from shadow, their brutality implied rather than fully shown.