(c.1614 - Antwerp - 1677)
Emmet Collection, Seville, Spain
E. Boonen Graves
Louis Durr until 1882
New York Historical Society
Literature: Catalogue of the New York Historical Society 1915, p.107 no.D-46
Pupil of Wortelmans, Herp later married the daughter of the important painter Artus Wolffordt.
The G. in his usual signature of course stands for Guilliam or Guilhelmus (and French Guillaume), but had nevertheless led some earlier scholars to postulate a Gerard van Herp who never existed.
Ecce Homo: "Behold the Man" (John 19:4-6) ; The words are those of Pontius Pilate. The theme is rare in Christian art before the Rennaissance and indeed even Pigler does not mention it in the seventeenth century, though by that time there were several versions. The Ecce Homo subject as such comes in two distinct versions: either a simple devotional image, usually just the head of Christ with a crown of thorns, or else, as here, a full narrative account. Christ is shown wearing the emblems of Kingship with which the mocking soldiers have invested him - the crown of thorns, the purple cloak and a reed sceptre. His wrists are tied. Pilate standing to one side gestures towards him, while the crowd of soldiers and populace all round, demand his crucifixion.
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