The Crucifixion
Francisco de Zurbarán
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The Story
Francisco de Zurbarán excelled at painting altarpieces that presented saints in an accessible manner. Catholic reformers, who aimed to revitalize Catholicism in the face of the Protestant Reformation, emphasized that religious painting should feature easily recognizable figures and narratives in order to reach contemporary audiences. This canvas, made for the high altar of the church of San Román in Seville, Spain, aligns with the church’s dedication to Saint Romanus of Antioch.
Romanus towers over Saint Barulas, a seven-year-old child who was inspired to martyrdom by the elder saint’s words. Romanus holds up his own tongue, torn out by his tormentors, and grasps a massive book inscribed with a prayer invoking his intercession on behalf of the faithful.
As Oil on canvas (246.5 × 185.4 cm (97 1/16 × 73 in.)), the work shows the tool marks and layering choices typical of Francisco de Zurbarán's output in this period — decisions about ground, underpainting, and glaze that a photograph can only partly convey.
Look closely and the painting opens up. Objects you might pass over — a folded letter, a half-drawn curtain, the angle of a glance — were placed to be read. The composition slows the eye down at exactly the moment it would rather look away, which is the point.
Today the painting is held by Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, where it remains a touchstone for understanding Francisco de Zurbarán's contribution to Western art. It has been studied, copied, restored, and argued over for centuries — proof that great paintings keep generating new readings long after their creators have gone.
“A silence so complete it becomes its own witness.”
