It is a work that will have made people talk about it. Ecce Homoone of the works of the famous Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, nicknamed “Caravaggio”, will be exhibited from May 28, 2024 at the Prado Museum in Madrid (Spain), El Pais reported this Monday, May 6.
This oil painting, which takes its name from the Latin expression ecce homo (“behold the man”), represents Christ with his head surrounded by a crown of thorns. If it is one of the sixty paintings in the world attributed to the artist, it was nevertheless almost sold at auction in 2021 with a starting price of 1,500 euros, before being attributed to the great Italian master, specialist in chiaroscuro (1571-1610).
“One of the greatest discoveries in the history of art”
Initially considered to be the work of a member of the school of José de Ribera, a Spanish painter from the first half of the 17th century known for his religious compositions, the painting was priced in April 2021 at 1,500 euros by a Spanish auction house before the Spanish Ministry of Culture blocked the operation at the last minute. A report from the Prado Museum had indeed warned about the provenance of the painting, citing “sufficient documented and stylistic evidence” to consider that the painting is the work of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio. After careful analysis, the experts contacted by the Spanish authorities finally came to the conclusion that this painting was indeed a work by the Italian artist.
According to a press release from the Prado Museum, Ecce Homo was painted by Caravaggio between 1605 and 1609 and was part of the private collection of King Philip IV of Spain, giving it “extraordinary value”.
“Since its appearance at auction three years ago, Ecce Homo represented one of the greatest discoveries in the history of art,” informs the Madrid museum.
The painting, which has just been restored, will be exhibited at the Prado from May 28 until October, thanks to the “generosity” of its “new owner”, who accepted a “temporary loan”, indicates the Prado. The Madrid museum does not specify in its press release the identity of this new owner, nor the price at which he ultimately acquired this painting.
Original article published on BFMTV.com
