Crucified Christ 1780

Francisco de Goya painted “Crucified Christ” with oil on canvas, and it now hangs in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. During Goya's time in Spain, the church and monarchy were in decline, and the country was experiencing immense political and social change. Goya’s Christ embodies both the sacred and the human. Unlike earlier depictions of Christ, Goya refrains from showing the marks of torture that Christ endured. Instead, we see a serene and idealized figure, that is also so very human, suspended against the dark void of the background. The whiteness of the cloth and Christ’s body against the black emphasize the vulnerability and suffering of Christ. Goya’s painting transcends traditional religious iconography. While referencing faith, it invites viewers to contemplate the profound themes of suffering, redemption, and the complex relationship between the human and the divine.