Painted between 1605-1609, the dark, atmospheric canvas depicts a bloodied Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, his hands tied, as he is presented to the crowd by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate just before his crucifixion
A painting by Italian master Caravaggio entitled 'Ecce Homo' is pictured at the Prado museum in Madrid, on May 27, 2024. Credit: Photography PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP
AÂ painting by Italian master Caravaggio, once mistakenly thought to be by an unknown artist and nearly auctioned off for a song, was unveiled at Madrid's Prado Museum on Monday.
Painted between 1605-1609, the dark, atmospheric canvas depicts a bloodied Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, his hands tied, as he is presented to the crowd by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate just before his crucifixion.
Entitled "Ecce Homo" -- Latin for "Behold the Man" -- it is one of around only 60 known works by the Renaissance artist.
Three years ago, a Madrid auction house had been due to put the canvas under the hammer with an opening price of 1,500 euros ($1,800 at the time), mistakenly attributing it to an artist from the circle of 17th-century Spanish painter Jose de Ribera.