Cristo Flagelado [Christ after the Flagellation]

Showing the back of this painting calls attention to frames as vital elements of paintings, encouraging observation of the techniques used in their making. Nowadays, frames tend to be overlooked. During the eighteenth century, however, inventories from around the globe consistently recognized them as valuable possessions both because of their artistry and the gold leaf used to embellish them. In Caracas, Venezuela’s capital since 1821, such documents described singularly thin frames like this one. Topped with a serpentine design similar to those employed in cabinets and other pieces of furniture like the triptych on the right, these frames were known as marcos con copete [crested frames]. Other thin frames can be seen in other paintings in this gallery, like José Antonio de Porras’ Saint Margaret displayed nearby, close to the wooden chest. While that frame was made from a single piece of wood, this one on López’s work is composed of various elements identified in the diagram below.  

The back view of this painting also reveals that it had a conservation treatment called lining, in which a new fabric support was added to the original canvas using wax, a material that causes the newer cloth to look thick and consistently smooth throughout. The edges of this newer canvas are visible all around the obviously newer wooden stretcher, added to preserve the integrity of this piece.