A devotional image of Christ displaying the wounds of the Passion, paradoxically shown as both dead and living rather than as a single narrative moment.
The Man of Sorrows presents Christ showing the wounds of the Passion, often upright or half-length, sometimes supported by angels or accompanied by the Instruments of the Passion. The image is devotional and symbolic rather than a literal episode in the Gospel narrative.
Etymology
English rendering of the biblical phrase “man of sorrows,” traditionally associated with Isaiah 53.
Sculptor Notes
The sculptor should distinguish the type from an Ecce Homo or Crucifix. The defining idea is the displayed wound-bearing body as an object of contemplation. Frontality and direct presentation to the viewer are often more important than narrative action.
References
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/470346; https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/the-crucifixion-and-passion-of-christ-in-italian-painting