
	It is no easy task today to introduce a new work into Velázquez’s body of work. Velázquez is a painter who leaves almost no doubt or ambiguity in his work. His art is of an extraordinary quality even amongst the Masters. His work is categorical. Everything within it adheres to the discipline of reflection and a profound understanding of painting. Added to these is an extraordinary sense of composition and expressiveness. He managed to combine and reconcile Venetian art, naturalism and baroque classicism in a sublime manner. He bestowed his work with a serene, exquisite balance. Through his personal vision, he opened a path to a modern view of art. Understanding how Velázquez conceived his art can lead us into complex and, at times, impenetrable areas, as his insight, intelligence and sensitivity are inevitably bound to create obstacles along the way. However, for all this complexity, his life and work provide clues that allow us to piece together his vision and opinion of art in general, and painting in particular. We know full well that he was constantly attentive to the changes and artistic trends of the times in which he lived. He was interested in the works and techniques of the great artists. Nevertheless, he did not submit to any of the things in the world of art that aroused his interest. He simply adapted them to his own ends. It is enough to cast another glance at his early works to notice that, from the start, his great "Master" was “reality”: that is, everything that surrounds us and which our senses can directly perceive, whether it is tangible or not! (With Velázquez, these senses proved to be especially heightened and acute). He realises that the real harmony/beauty and its laws are there, before him. It is this reality which he observes, interrogates, questions, studies and on which he reflects constantly. He conceives in it his most valuable and subtle insights. This — paradoxically — makes his work so personal. Understanding this helps us trace his rising and steady trajectory whose culmination and synthesis we find in “Las Meninas” ("Ladies in Waiting”), where his art sheds the superfluous and keeps the essential. More than an artist, Velázquez is an innovator, a man of science devoted to art. His highest priority is therefore not the search for style, nor a personal, or new, language that he can use to represent, describe or dramatise. What principally interests him is reality. He wants to understand it and to find the means to recreate it. His painting is the reflection of this understanding, acquired from the study of various disciplines, contemplation and essentially observation: an art form in itself which he managed to take to the highest levels. In this sense, we believe it is important to give special importance to the value that *the*reality of space has in his pictorial concept and consequently his work. We use this term to refer to the emptiness/space that exists between the different elements in his composition. It fills it and determines the whole composition. It is — by its very nature —the common linking element between the work and the spectator. For him, like the sculptor, this empty space is as relevant as the elements themselves. Velázquez searches for the means to represent it but is aware of its intangibility. He knows that this space allows the elements in the composition to maintain an appropriate and real relationship to each other, whilst, at the same time, keeping their own identities intact, making us clearly see their three-dimensional nature. This gives the work an exceptional unity and truth. In answer to the challenge, his palette takes on a silvery grey tone and treats the figures and elements with strokes suggestive of reality, but without restraining it. Air is everywhere! We have focused on these issues to help us understand that they are a fundamental to analysing this Christ on the Cross. Christ on the Cross Description Medium: Ebony wood Format: Cross Technique: Oil Size: 42 x 28.3 x 1.5 cm. Date of creation: 1630-31 The work at hand is a living, suffering Christ Crucified, attempting to communicate with Heaven. Painted on ebony cross, it fulfils its devotional function to perfection. Christ's bearing is lean and elegant, with perfectly formed muscles, almost like those of a sculpture. Everything is perfectly detailed and in proportion.His gaze looks upwards towards Heaven, in the opposite direction to the angle of his head (as shown in the virtual restoration presented here)(fig.1a).The head is finished off with a crown of thorns, and behind this is a gilded halo in fine gold. His torso is foreshortened, arching outwards and in conjunction with the head which is set back. We can also see that there are few and random signs of mistreatment. This enhances the body's beauty. He is unwilling to represent an excessively pained and suffering Christ. Instead, he portrays and transmits both his spirituality and the crucial moment of the scene. The loincloth is simple, like a tunic, formed with well-arranged creases. It falls naturally, giving weight without excess, and clearly conveys the material's thickness. It is loose at the waist and finds the required support on the thighs. His hands and feet are expressive and slender, and his arms and legs contribute to an exquisite gracefulness. This is a conception of a Christ on the Cross with four nails, which are not fully driven in. Rather, they protrude appreciably and each is depicted at the proper angle, appropriately foreshortened, depending on their particular function. At his feet is a skull, looking at us face on and openly communicating with the spectator. Below this is a single bone, broken at the left-hand end. Analysis of the work The whole work displays a masterly command of technical and pictorial effects. They enable him to enter territory that goes beyond the purely formal: that is, they give soul and expressiveness to what is being represented. Christ is conceived along Italian lines but from a highly personal perspective. He displays a host of influences that reflect the painter’s interest in certain painters: Dürer, Titian, Tintoretto, El Greco, Carracci, Reni and Ribera underlie the work. Each of them contributes in some small way. However, the personality and the Sevillian genius of Velázquez dominate the whole. His personal vision and technical skill produce a work of a quality not seen in pieces of this type. This work requires him to tackle three important limitations: size, format and the black ebony background. The compositional approach adopted in the Crucificado (Christ on the Cross) adapts itself to the limitations but in no way bows down before them. He finds an appropriate and ingenious treatment for each of the problems and implements it comprehensively. In answer to this challenge, he conceives the work as a Whole. That is, he does not just represent a Christ on the Cross and a token skull. Instead, he also makes us see the significant empty space, delimited by the ebony, as a key element and co-protagonist in the composition. Through this, he gives force, expressiveness, reality and meaning to the Christ who is represented, by placing him on an imaginary cross. Light and Darkness, Everything and Nothing face each other in this work, but always relate to one another. The whole figure is meticulously calculated so that spaces play a key role in enhancing its three dimensionality and so that the image is seen as suspended in the emptiness and forming part of it. The black ebony background helps in this respect and is a perfect context in which to deploy a range of compositional techniques to achieve his goals. In first place, he devises the scene as Christ in communication with Heaven. His head is raised and his gaze rises to meet the Lord. His gesture is one of commending himself to Him before his imminent death. This is why the lighting in this Crucificado is conceived as if it was receiving the light from God himself. It is also the reason for the zenith light and its focal point. The light subtly diminishes as it descends to the figure until it reaches the skull, which receives least light (we could also take this as having a symbolic meaning). This zenith light, as we shall see below, is of vital importance in helping to associate the figure with the space. It also finds a powerful ally in the focal point afforded to the spectator. It is positioned level with the head of Christ so that we are forced to begin viewing the figure from where two dimensions of the cross intersect and in perspective with the skull. Because of the play of light resulting from the zenith lighting and the determining focal point chosen, he draws the figure in a way that achieves his goals. He therefore chooses to arrange the head leaning back and at a slight angle - based on a model by Guido Reno that he inverts (fig.1b). He forces the torso — for purely anatomical reasons — to arch slightly forward. In this way, he produces a sensation of separation from the background. The torso also has a parallel with an engraving by Dürer (fig.2).The idea of separation is further reinforced by the twisted position of his hand at his wrists: this raises them, as well as the arms, away from the background. He consequently manages to impart a degree of independence from the background. We should keep in mind that the usual shading techniques used to highlight bodies against a background could not be employed here: firstly, because the background is black and no shade can be adequately appreciated; secondly, because this base is conceived more as an empty space onto which shadows of course cannot be projected. The idea of dominating and using this empty space is reinforced with the design of the loincloth (also influenced by Dürer, Carracci or Reni (fig.2 and 3). This he presents from an elevated perspective — thanks to the focal point he produces in the work — so that we observe the border along its whole length, which significantly strengthens the three dimensions. However, he takes the idea a little further and again uses the loincloth and its foreshortening to create even more space. He achieves this by not making it cling to the body at the waist. He thus creates a space within another space and, as a result, he achieves various effects. Three further techniques are used to complete it. The first is the slight, yet fundamental lighting produced on the back left hand side of the loincloth, possible because of the zenith light in conjunction with the separation given to the torso, which helps the light enter from behind, and thus clearly defines the space in which the body is immersed. The second technique is to be seen in the upper front edge of the material, arranged with thick, but, as always, well-structured folds, where the light falls in a pronounced manner to show it almost embossed, with volume and spatial effect. The third technique is employed on the string on the side of the loincloth. This is positioned on a third plane, as it is kept in the shade. It thus creates different effects to define the desired three-dimensional effect. We can also see how the shadow of the cloth on the legs in the centre creates an important space that helps to define precisely the boundaries of the cloth against the legs. The creation of spaces can also be noted with the position and arrangement given to the legs: one is raised above the other and one foot is slightly behind the other. This solution achieves various effects, and the lighting, which he produces, plays an important role here. It creates a masterly interplay of light and shade. Together with the foreshortening, they make the legs an important element in achieving his objectives. The way he arranges the feet deserves special mention. We can see the right foot is slightly behind the left, and slightly foreshortened in comparison. As a result, they seem nailed to an imaginary cross. This is highly significant as he uses this to accentuate the idea and perception of the background as an empty space. He emblematically leaves a small masterpiece at the feet of Christ. The representation of the skull is simply extraordinary. In barely 2.5 cm, he deploys a wealth of lighting effects: perfect and intimately integrated with the general lighting. With the foreshortened bone, it contributes to a perfect finish in terms of composition and technique. Again, we see how Dürer's models appear in the conception of the skull (fig.4). As we said earlier, a feature of particular importance is the work’s small format. The figure of Christ measures only 23.5 cm and the skull 2.5 cm. This entails additional difficulties because of the complex technical and pictorial adaptation required to execute such a small figure in such a restricted and complicated format. Generally, this can lead to a loss of quality in its execution, causing it to fail either because of excessively elongated or overdone elements, and typical of miniature painting, or else in a lack of subtlety and description of detail. However, in every part of this work, we can see all the techniques employed in large format paintings, deployed with an ease of execution and uncommon skill without the work every falling into these traps. Everything is described in a tremendously natural, subtle and fluent way. Any manner of techniques is adopted without undermining the quality or expressiveness of the subject represented. The work lacks layers of preparatory coats typical in pieces of this type and therefore depends on white lead serving a twin function: it acts as a base substituting the primer and, at the same time, it has a descriptive function as a prominent element in the pictorial layer. The whole work is constructed on a wide range of thicknesses ranging from paste to velature, with firm, perfectly drawn paint strokes, executed with tremendous expertise and adding precise, hasty and uninhibited strokes in those areas, which require greater description. The result is differing qualities with suggestive and complex textures. This is how he renders different forms so precisely. The work is based on efficient economy of colour, limited to five pigments (lead white, vermilion, red lacquer, Prussian blue and organic black). Colouring is achieved through tone that makes subtle transitions from warm to cold colours in a range of intensities, each supporting the other, both in the black of the background and in blue and/or black pigments. These accent the light values and animate them to a degree. This bestows the surface with a highly expressive dynamism. At the same time, it offers contrasts of tone and texture, managing to give the flesh a masterly softness and endowing the muscles with character that interact well with the shape of the bone. It also ingeniously describes the subtle presence of tendons and veins. This is all brought together with a detailed handling of light, contributing to accentuate the skin's movement in the work. We see El Greco reflected here. He gave flesh similar characteristics. The way in which the greyed shadows interact and tie in with the lighting recalls his style. We pause here to note the influences on him and his creativity. This painting has a beautiful and mild tenebrist atmosphere, which fits perfectly with the idea and purpose of the work, because it allows him to imbue it with an intimate and conciliatory atmosphere. He does this by handling shape beautifully and pleasantly but also giving it a strong character. Everything is executed with an unerring representation of form that gives it a highly expressive quality, through which he demonstrates his admiration for Ribera. In addition to its own technical and artistic quality, we would like to point out a series of characteristics in this work compared to others by Velázquez, which give us an insight into some of its special touches. One of these we find in the expression of the eyebrows (fig.5); Velázquez gives them special treatment in many of his works. This is not common or usual in other painters. This is rather typical of him, as he seems to find a useful way of attributing expressiveness to his characters. In this respect, for example, we can see the face of Christ in the work "Christ and the Christian Soul" — and there are many other examples — where there is a great similarity in both the treatment of the eyebrows and the face in general, and which are clearly associated with Velázquez. Another feature of his work is his unique way of depicting thumbs when shown in profile (fig.6).His solution is to give them a pointed ending as we can see in this Christ on the Cross that we are examining. It is also typical in his work, and not seen in other artists. For example, consider the hand of St. Thomas Aquinas in the work describing his temptations or “Cristo de la Flagelación” (“Christ and the Christian Soul”) or his imposing “Christ on the Cross” at San Plácido. Conclusions We believe that only one exceptional figure is able to reach so high. There is only person who brings together all these complexities and it can only be Velázquez. No other artist has the necessary abilities and techniques required by the painting, be it skill, pictorial concept or insight. Few works by Velázquez are known to be in small format, but he did paint small portraits intended for jewellery. Another work documented after his post-mortem inventory, is one appearing under reference 464: "another painting of a Christ Crucified, its frame being half a yard long" (41.8 cm). (Corpus Velazqueño – Secretaría General Técnica – Ministerio Español de Cultura) We believe that this Crucificado may have been painted between 1630 and 1631, given its evident Italian influences and its mildly tenebrous execution. We can also appreciate a similarity and tight connection with the work "Christ and the Christian Soul", dated by some renowned historians to the same period. We would finally like to note that this article is not the result of a superficial analysis of the work. It is the accumulation of years of searching, investigation, and research, which forged their own path, which was fraught with obstacles and close to unsurpassable at times. Because we were at all times absolutely convinced of the work's unquestionable quality and in view of our personal commitment to it, we were able to overcome the difficulties and gradually managed to understand the riches contained within it. We could continue to point out a host of aspects and details because this work conceals much more. This is not the aim of this article. The purpose is to draw attention to a work that cries out genius throughout. We believe that it deserves all the support necessary based on its own merits. In any case, we intend to provide a more detailed study of other interesting aspects and details that we have not been able to develop in this article due to limitations of space. We will gradually add them to these Internet pages. It has been, and remains, a great honour to have been able to contribute, as much as lies within our modest capabilities, to return this work some day to the light from which it came. Before we finish, we would like to express our gratitude to many in the world of art who have helped with their support and knowledge to keep the flame alight on this difficult journey. Special thanks to Miguel Granados for endorsing the authorship of this work from the start and his incalculable contributions, support and friendship. Our thanks as well to Fernando Rico José Antonio de Alarcón y José Antonio Algarrada

It is no easy task today to introduce a new work into Velázquez’s body of work. Velázquez is a painter who leaves almost no doubt or ambiguity in his work. His art is of an extraordinary quality even amongst the Masters. His work is categorical. Everything within it adheres to the discipline of reflection and a profound understanding of painting. Added to these is an extraordinary sense of composition and expressiveness. He managed to combine and reconcile Venetian art, naturalism and baroque classicism in a sublime manner. He bestowed his work with a serene, exquisite balance. Through his personal vision, he opened a path to a modern view of art.

Understanding how Velázquez conceived his art can lead us into complex and, at times, impenetrable areas, as his insight, intelligence and sensitivity are inevitably bound to create obstacles along the way. However, for all this complexity, his life and work provide clues that allow us to piece together his vision and opinion of art in general, and painting in particular.

We know full well that he was constantly attentive to the changes and artistic trends of the times in which he lived. He was interested in the works and techniques of the great artists. Nevertheless, he did not submit to any of the things in the world of art that aroused his interest. He simply adapted them to his own ends. It is enough to cast another glance at his early works to notice that, from the start, his great "Master" was “reality”: that is, everything that surrounds us and which our senses can directly perceive, whether it is tangible or not! (With Velázquez, these senses proved to be especially heightened and acute). He realises that the real harmony/beauty and its laws are there, before him. It is this reality which he observes, interrogates, questions, studies and on which he reflects constantly. He conceives in it his most valuable and subtle insights. This — paradoxically — makes his work so personal.

Understanding this helps us trace his rising and steady trajectory whose culmination and synthesis we find in “Las Meninas” ("Ladies in Waiting”), where his art sheds the superfluous and keeps the essential. More than an artist, Velázquez is an innovator, a man of science devoted to art. His highest priority is therefore not the search for style, nor a personal, or new, language that he can use to represent, describe or dramatise. What principally interests him is reality. He wants to understand it and to find the means to recreate it. His painting is the reflection of this understanding, acquired from the study of various disciplines, contemplation and essentially observation: an art form in itself which he managed to take to the highest levels.

In this sense, we believe it is important to give special importance to the value that thereality of space has in his pictorial concept and consequently his work. We use this term to refer to the emptiness/space that exists between the different elements in his composition. It fills it and determines the whole composition. It is — by its very nature —the common linking element between the work and the spectator. For him, like the sculptor, this empty space is as relevant as the elements themselves. Velázquez searches for the means to represent it but is aware of its intangibility. He knows that this space allows the elements in the composition to maintain an appropriate and real relationship to each other, whilst, at the same time, keeping their own identities intact, making us clearly see their three-dimensional nature. This gives the work an exceptional unity and truth. In answer to the challenge, his palette takes on a silvery grey tone and treats the figures and elements with strokes suggestive of reality, but without restraining it. Air is everywhere!

We have focused on these issues to help us understand that they are a fundamental to analysing this Christ on the Cross.

Christ on the Cross

Description

Medium: Ebony wood Format: Cross Technique: Oil

Size: 42 x 28.3 x 1.5 cm. Date of creation: 1630-31

           The work at hand is a living, suffering Christ Crucified, attempting to communicate with Heaven. Painted on ebony cross, it fulfils its devotional function to perfection. Christ's bearing is lean and elegant, with perfectly formed muscles, almost like those of a sculpture. Everything is perfectly detailed and in proportion.His gaze looks upwards towards Heaven, in the opposite direction to the angle of his head (as shown in the virtual restoration presented here)(fig.1a).The head is finished off with a crown of thorns, and behind this is a gilded halo in fine gold.
           His torso is foreshortened, arching outwards and in conjunction with the head which is set back. We can also see that there are few and random signs of mistreatment. This enhances the body's beauty. He is unwilling to represent an excessively pained and suffering Christ. Instead, he portrays and transmits both his spirituality and the crucial moment of the scene. The loincloth is simple, like a tunic, formed with well-arranged creases. It falls naturally, giving weight without excess, and clearly conveys the material's thickness. It is loose at the waist and finds the required support on the thighs. His hands and feet are expressive and slender, and his arms and legs contribute to an exquisite gracefulness.
           This is a conception of a Christ on the Cross with four nails, which are not fully driven in. Rather, they protrude appreciably and each is depicted at the proper angle, appropriately foreshortened, depending on their particular function.

At his feet is a skull, looking at us face on and openly communicating with the spectator. Below this is a single bone, broken at the left-hand end.

Analysis of the work

The whole work displays a masterly command of technical and pictorial effects. They enable him to enter territory that goes beyond the purely formal: that is, they give soul and expressiveness to what is being represented.

Christ is conceived along Italian lines but from a highly personal perspective. He displays a host of influences that reflect the painter’s interest in certain painters: Dürer, Titian, Tintoretto, El Greco, Carracci, Reni and Ribera underlie the work. Each of them contributes in some small way. However, the personality and the Sevillian genius of Velázquez dominate the whole. His personal vision and technical skill produce a work of a quality not seen in pieces of this type.

This work requires him to tackle three important limitations: size, format and the black ebony background. The compositional approach adopted in the Crucificado (Christ on the Cross) adapts itself to the limitations but in no way bows down before them. He finds an appropriate and ingenious treatment for each of the problems and implements it comprehensively.

In answer to this challenge, he conceives the work as a Whole. That is, he does not just represent a Christ on the Cross and a token skull. Instead, he also makes us see the significant empty space, delimited by the ebony, as a key element and co-protagonist in the composition. Through this, he gives force, expressiveness, reality and meaning to the Christ who is represented, by placing him on an imaginary cross. Light and Darkness, Everything and Nothing face each other in this work, but always relate to one another.

The whole figure is meticulously calculated so that spaces play a key role in enhancing its three dimensionality and so that the image is seen as suspended in the emptiness and forming part of it. The black ebony background helps in this respect and is a perfect context in which to deploy a range of compositional techniques to achieve his goals.

In first place, he devises the scene as Christ in communication with Heaven. His head is raised and his gaze rises to meet the Lord. His gesture is one of commending himself to Him before his imminent death. This is why the lighting in this Crucificado is conceived as if it was receiving the light from God himself. It is also the reason for the zenith light and its focal point. The light subtly diminishes as it descends to the figure until it reaches the skull, which receives least light (we could also take this as having a symbolic meaning). This zenith light, as we shall see below, is of vital importance in helping to associate the figure with the space. It also finds a powerful ally in the focal point afforded to the spectator. It is positioned level with the head of Christ so that we are forced to begin viewing the figure from where two dimensions of the cross intersect and in perspective with the skull. Because of the play of light resulting from the zenith lighting and the determining focal point chosen, he draws the figure in a way that achieves his goals.

He therefore chooses to arrange the head leaning back and at a slight angle - based on a model by Guido Reno that he inverts (fig.1b). He forces the torso — for purely anatomical reasons — to arch slightly forward. In this way, he produces a sensation of separation from the background. The torso also has a parallel with an engraving by Dürer (fig.2).The idea of separation is further reinforced by the twisted position of his hand at his wrists: this raises them, as well as the arms, away from the background. He consequently manages to impart a degree of independence from the background. We should keep in mind that the usual shading techniques used to highlight bodies against a background could not be employed here: firstly, because the background is black and no shade can be adequately appreciated; secondly, because this base is conceived more as an empty space onto which shadows of course cannot be projected.

The idea of dominating and using this empty space is reinforced with the design of the loincloth (also influenced by Dürer, Carracci or Reni (fig.2 and 3). This he presents from an elevated perspective — thanks to the focal point he produces in the work — so that we observe the border along its whole length, which significantly strengthens the three dimensions. However, he takes the idea a little further and again uses the loincloth and its foreshortening to create even more space. He achieves this by not making it cling to the body at the waist. He thus creates a space within another space and, as a result, he achieves various effects. Three further techniques are used to complete it. The first is the slight, yet fundamental lighting produced on the back left hand side of the loincloth, possible because of the zenith light in conjunction with the separation given to the torso, which helps the light enter from behind, and thus clearly defines the space in which the body is immersed. The second technique is to be seen in the upper front edge of the material, arranged with thick, but, as always, well-structured folds, where the light falls in a pronounced manner to show it almost embossed, with volume and spatial effect. The third technique is employed on the string on the side of the loincloth. This is positioned on a third plane, as it is kept in the shade. It thus creates different effects to define the desired three-dimensional effect. We can also see how the shadow of the cloth on the legs in the centre creates an important space that helps to define precisely the boundaries of the cloth against the legs.

The creation of spaces can also be noted with the position and arrangement given to the legs: one is raised above the other and one foot is slightly behind the other. This solution achieves various effects, and the lighting, which he produces, plays an important role here. It creates a masterly interplay of light and shade. Together with the foreshortening, they make the legs an important element in achieving his objectives. The way he arranges the feet deserves special mention. We can see the right foot is slightly behind the left, and slightly foreshortened in comparison. As a result, they seem nailed to an imaginary cross. This is highly significant as he uses this to accentuate the idea and perception of the background as an empty space.

He emblematically leaves a small masterpiece at the feet of Christ. The representation of the skull is simply extraordinary. In barely 2.5 cm, he deploys a wealth of lighting effects: perfect and intimately integrated with the general lighting. With the foreshortened bone, it contributes to a perfect finish in terms of composition and technique. Again, we see how Dürer's models appear in the conception of the skull (fig.4).

As we said earlier, a feature of particular importance is the work’s small format. The figure of Christ measures only 23.5 cm and the skull 2.5 cm. This entails additional difficulties because of the complex technical and pictorial adaptation required to execute such a small figure in such a restricted and complicated format. Generally, this can lead to a loss of quality in its execution, causing it to fail either because of excessively elongated or overdone elements, and typical of miniature painting, or else in a lack of subtlety and description of detail. However, in every part of this work, we can see all the techniques employed in large format paintings, deployed with an ease of execution and uncommon skill without the work every falling into these traps. Everything is described in a tremendously natural, subtle and fluent way. Any manner of techniques is adopted without undermining the quality or expressiveness of the subject represented.

The work lacks layers of preparatory coats typical in pieces of this type and therefore depends on white lead serving a twin function: it acts as a base substituting the primer and, at the same time, it has a descriptive function as a prominent element in the pictorial layer. The whole work is constructed on a wide range of thicknesses ranging from paste to velature, with firm, perfectly drawn paint strokes, executed with tremendous expertise and adding precise, hasty and uninhibited strokes in those areas, which require greater description. The result is differing qualities with suggestive and complex textures. This is how he renders different forms so precisely. The work is based on efficient economy of colour, limited to five pigments (lead white, vermilion, red lacquer, Prussian blue and organic black). Colouring is achieved through tone that makes subtle transitions from warm to cold colours in a range of intensities, each supporting the other, both in the black of the background and in blue and/or black pigments. These accent the light values and animate them to a degree. This bestows the surface with a highly expressive dynamism. At the same time, it offers contrasts of tone and texture, managing to give the flesh a masterly softness and endowing the muscles with character that interact well with the shape of the bone. It also ingeniously describes the subtle presence of tendons and veins. This is all brought together with a detailed handling of light, contributing to accentuate the skin's movement in the work. We see El Greco reflected here. He gave flesh similar characteristics. The way in which the greyed shadows interact and tie in with the lighting recalls his style. We pause here to note the influences on him and his creativity. This painting has a beautiful and mild tenebrist atmosphere, which fits perfectly with the idea and purpose of the work, because it allows him to imbue it with an intimate and conciliatory atmosphere. He does this by handling shape beautifully and pleasantly but also giving it a strong character. Everything is executed with an unerring representation of form that gives it a highly expressive quality, through which he demonstrates his admiration for Ribera.

In addition to its own technical and artistic quality, we would like to point out a series of characteristics in this work compared to others by Velázquez, which give us an insight into some of its special touches. One of these we find in the expression of the eyebrows (fig.5); Velázquez gives them special treatment in many of his works. This is not common or usual in other painters. This is rather typical of him, as he seems to find a useful way of attributing expressiveness to his characters. In this respect, for example, we can see the face of Christ in the work "Christ and the Christian Soul" — and there are many other examples — where there is a great similarity in both the treatment of the eyebrows and the face in general, and which are clearly associated with Velázquez. Another feature of his work is his unique way of depicting thumbs when shown in profile (fig.6).His solution is to give them a pointed ending as we can see in this Christ on the Cross that we are examining. It is also typical in his work, and not seen in other artists. For example, consider the hand of St. Thomas Aquinas in the work describing his temptations or “Cristo de la Flagelación” (“Christ and the Christian Soul”) or his imposing “Christ on the Cross” at San Plácido.

Conclusions

We believe that only one exceptional figure is able to reach so high. There is only person who brings together all these complexities and it can only be Velázquez. No other artist has the necessary abilities and techniques required by the painting, be it skill, pictorial concept or insight.

Few works by Velázquez are known to be in small format, but he did paint small portraits intended for jewellery. Another work documented after his post-mortem inventory, is one appearing under reference 464: "another painting of a Christ Crucified, its frame being half a yard long" (41.8 cm). (Corpus Velazqueño – Secretaría General Técnica – Ministerio Español de Cultura)

We believe that this Crucificado may have been painted between 1630 and 1631, given its evident Italian influences and its mildly tenebrous execution. We can also appreciate a similarity and tight connection with the work "Christ and the Christian Soul", dated by some renowned historians to the same period.

We would finally like to note that this article is not the result of a superficial analysis of the work. It is the accumulation of years of searching, investigation, and research, which forged their own path, which was fraught with obstacles and close to unsurpassable at times. Because we were at all times absolutely convinced of the work's unquestionable quality and in view of our personal commitment to it, we were able to overcome the difficulties and gradually managed to understand the riches contained within it.

We could continue to point out a host of aspects and details because this work conceals much more. This is not the aim of this article. The purpose is to draw attention to a work that cries out genius throughout. We believe that it deserves all the support necessary based on its own merits. In any case, we intend to provide a more detailed study of other interesting aspects and details that we have not been able to develop in this article due to limitations of space. We will gradually add them to these Internet pages.

It has been, and remains, a great honour to have been able to contribute, as much as lies within our modest capabilities, to return this work some day to the light from which it came.

Before we finish, we would like to express our gratitude to many in the world of art who have helped with their support and knowledge to keep the flame alight on this difficult journey. Special thanks to Miguel Granados for endorsing the authorship of this work from the start and his incalculable contributions, support and friendship. Our thanks as well to Fernando Rico

José Antonio de Alarcón y José Antonio Algarrada