A long-lost painting by Caravaggio that was nearly auctioned off at a bargain price has now been displayed at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain, following its rescue and restoration. The painting was sold at auction just for $1500 earlier.
The painting, titled “Ecce Homo,” created by the Italian master between 1606 and 1609, is featured in a special solo exhibition starting Tuesday, according to the museum’s announcement.
This oil on canvas artwork portrays Jesus adorned with a crown of thorns, blood streaming down his face and chest. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, is positioned to the left, while a third figure stands behind Jesus, draping a red robe over his shoulders.
Caravaggio created “Ecce Homo” late in his life after fleeing Rome due to a murder accusation. While living in exile in Naples, his artistic style notably evolved, becoming darker and somber.
The painting is one of around only 60 known works by Caravaggio in existence.
The painting was part of King Philip IV’s art collection, and was passed on to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando,. Then Aacademia exchanged it for another artwork with a politician named Evaristo Pérez de Castro in 1823. It then remained in the same family, but its significance went unnoticed until it surfaced at auction house Ansorena in April 2021 with a starting price of 1,500 euros ($1,600), attributed to a pupil of Spanish painter José de Ribera.
