Christ, Giving His Blood
by LOTTO, Lorenzo, Poplar wood, 50 x 32 cm
The theme of this painting was widespread in votive images, especially in the Northern Italian painting. The earliest record of this composition is to be found in the expense accounts of Lorenzo Lotto, who in 1542 bought a plaster cast which he apparently put up as a private altar flanked by two statuettes representing true faith and heresy. Shortly afterwards, Lotto used the composition in the present painting, documented in 1543.