The artwork, titled “Study of ‘Christ on the Cross between the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist’,” was created by Michelangelo in 1556 in Rome, Italy. This piece employs chalk on paper and is associated with the Mannerism (Late Renaissance) art movement. The dimensions of the artwork are 41.2 by 27.9 centimeters, classified under the genre of sketches and studies. It is currently housed in the British Museum in London, United Kingdom.
The artwork depicts a poignant scene of Christ on the cross, flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist. Though a sketch, Michelangelo’s attention to anatomical detail and the emotional weight of the scene is evident. The central figure of Christ, rendered with defined musculature and form, hangs on the cross with an expression of profound suffering. To the left, the Virgin Mary appears to support herself, overcome with sorrow, while St. John to the right, expresses a sense of compassion and mourning. The composition, though minimalist in execution, captures the depth of human emotion and the solemnity of the event.
