Title: J as the Man of Sorrows

Artist: Quentin Metsys

Title: Christ as the Man of Sorrows Date: About 1520–25 Artist: Quentin Metsys Artist Details: Netherlandish, Leuven 1465/66–Antwerp 1530 Medium: Oil on panel Description Close-up portrayals of the suffering Christ intended for private devotion were especially popular in northern European art around 1500. In this powerful image, Metsys engaged the emotions of the viewer by portraying in relentless detail the signs of Christ’s torment at the hands of his persecutors: the long spines of the crown of thorns pierce his forehead and eyebrow, blood flows along the edges of his robe, and liquid tears roll down his cheeks. By infusing his subject with an equally compelling quiet dignity, Metsys further deepens the worshipper’s personal response to Christ’s anguish.