Crucifixion - María Josefa Sánchez

C. Harker and Mae Svoboda Rhodes Acquisition Fund

"Crucifixion" by María Josefa Sánchez (1646) Oil on panel.

Commentary

"Crucifixion" by María Josefa Sánchez (1646) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Its painted surface guides your eye through color, brushwork, and contrast rather than through narrative alone. Themes to notice include european, european painting. This piece is held in the source collection's Painting and Sculpture of Europe collection. María Josefa Sánchez is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: María Josefa Sánchez (Spanish, active 1639–1649). The work is cataloged within a Spain cultural context. It is associated with the european period. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as european painting, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Oil on panel) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (63 × 39 cm (24 13/16 × 15 3/8 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include european, european painting. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/242449

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data