Christ Crowned with Thorns, Titian

The composition was inspired by titian's painting for the church of sta. Maria delle grazie in milan, which is now in the louvre. Described by older authors as the work of an anonymous master, the sheet was first associated with andrea meldolla by francis l. Richardson in the 1960s. The woodcut belongs to a group of four sheets by meldolla in this technique, which were considered in earlier literature to be anonymous topiaries after parmigianino. In addition, it is the only sheet to bear his monogram. Stylistically, the woodcut belongs to meldolla's later creative phase. The sheet is executed in a refined, highly developed woodcut technique. Formal elements such as the conception of the figures, the physiognomies of the soldiers and the dynamic, flowing treatment of the draperies are characteristic of meldolla's style of the 1550s and make the attribution to him convincing. While the repoussoir figure of the crouching warrior with the shield can be found in several paintings by titian from this period, the unbridled dynamism and dramatic expressiveness of the depiction are entirely unique features of meldolla's art. Excellent print with the framing line. Smoothed hanging fold on the verso, slightly stained, old annotation in pen on the verso, otherwise a very fine copy. Rare. Medium: woodcut print. 5187 bassenge schiavone