Spanish school; 17th century. "Christ dead on the cross". Oil on canvas. Antique re-colouring. It presents restorations. Signed on cartouche in the lower right corner: "Juan S. Se Varaca Faciebat". Measurements: 206 x 147 cm. This work stands out for its aesthetic and thematic quality, as it is very interesting as it shows the representation of Christ already dead on the cross, with four nails. The viewer is shown adopting a posture that stands out due to the arrangement of the crossed feet. This characteristic is reminiscent of the sculpture of Christ of the Clemency by Martínez Montañés, which can be found today in the Sacristy of the Chalices in Seville Cathedral and which follows the models established by Michelangelo. This is noteworthy, as it was customary to depict Christ with his feet arranged parallel to each other rather than crossed. The work also shows compositional similarities with paintings by Zurbarán, such as the one in the Prado Museum, in which the figure of Christ can be seen in the same position as in this particular case. Except for the feet, which are not crossed. It is worth mentioning that with regard to the lighting and iconography, a clear parallel can be established with the works of Alonso Cano and his circle. This canvas depicts Christ on the cross, nailed with four nails and covered with a narrow white cloth of purity, knotted at the right hip, which stands out for its folds and the great volume that the artist has managed to capture. Christ, now dead, has his head lowered, dejected but without his body showing any physical suffering, which can only be seen through the wound in his side. The artist's anatomical features, such as the sunken stomach and the signs of having kept his arms in tension, are depicted with great naturalism, the result of his study of nature. The figure is placed on a simple cross of straight planks, on the upper part of which is the sign with the legend "I.N.R.I." ("I.N.R.I."). ("Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum", "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews") above Christ's head, on which the crown of thorns can be seen in the form of a skullcap, as can be seen in the Christ of Clemency by Martínez Montañes. The scene is enveloped in a play of light and shadow that makes Christ's body stand out. This expressive use of light is due to the artist's desire to enhance the drama of the scene by strongly illuminating Christ against a background of deeply symbolic shadows. To achieve this, he used a totally tenebrist lighting study, with a focused, directed light that enters the painting through the upper part of the canvas and falls directly on the main element, in this case Christ's body, leaving the rest in semi-darkness. This strong, direct lighting also creates an expressive play of contrasts of light and shadow, typically Baroque, which enhances the volume of Christ's anatomy and reinforces the illusionism of the representation. Spanish Baroque painting is one of the most authentic and personal examples of our art, because its conception and form of expression arose from the people and their deepest feelings. With the economy of the State in ruins, the nobility in decline and the high clergy burdened with heavy taxes, it was the monasteries, parishes and confraternities of clerics and laymen who promoted its development, the works sometimes being financed by popular subscription. Sculpture was thus obliged to express the prevailing ideals in these environments, which were none other than religious ones, at a time when Counter-Reformation doctrine demanded a realistic language from art so that the faithful could understand and identify with what was represented, and an expression endowed with an intense emotional content in order to increase the fervour and devotion of the people. Religious subject matter was therefore the thematic focus of this period. Dimensions 206 x 147 cm.