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| BEHOLD THE MAN, Ht. 12"x W 14", heavy wood, late 19th c. |
Jesus at his trial is represented in artworks and sculpture often titled as “Ecce Homo”, (Behold the Man), an allusion to the statement of Pontius Pilate when he presented the anguished man to the hostile crowd.
There are countless paintings
and processional statues depicting the bruised and battered Christ, as well as
busts, which are rarer to find. Perhaps, the most significant bust found in the
Philippines is the 4-centuries old Ecce Homo of Cebu. It is considered the 2nd
oldest image next to the Sto. Niño, given as baptismal gift by Ferdinand
Magellan to Cebu’s Rajah Humabon in 1521.
This Ecce Homo, which date from the late 19th century, was found in Pampanga. It is a folksy version, made from 2 solid wooden parts. The slim head of Christ was carved separately to fit into the upper wooden torso, draped with a neatly tied cloak.
His thin features, bulging, half-closed eyes (outfitted with
glass eyes--now lost), and open mouth showing some teeth—reveal the depths of his
pain and sorrow. This Christ was meant to wear a wig, but his moustache and
pointed beard are carved, with many of the detailed hair strands damaged over
time.
In fact, the head, which was once painted, is pockmarked
with scratches, scrapes, and woodworm damage—which dramatically added to the
gravity of Jesus’s painful and humiliating torture in the hands of his
tormentors.
Indeed, the Ecce Homo serves to remind us that Christ suffered
for our sake, and the image aims to encourage people to contemplate on Jesus’
sufferings, to see ourselves united with Him in sorrow and in hope-- in the
face of adversities.
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