Vatican Museums

This small painting is a piece of exceptional importance, as it is a very rare example of the expressionist formation of one of the most significant figures of the twentieth century. Ernst produced the work during the years in which he knew August Macke, whom he met in 1912, when he was already part of the group Der Blaue Reiter along with Klee, Kandinsky, Marc and Gabriele Münter. It was precisely in this period that Ernst decided to devote himself entirely to painting. The Crucifix demonstrates the artist’s interest in the anatomy of Christ, represented in a position that shows extreme muscular tension. The use of colour, especially the red with which he emphasises the outline of the body, also contributes to drawing the gaze towards the suffering of Christ in His martyrdom.