Balistreri’s portraits of Christ involuntarily get under your skin: he knows how to depict the suffering on the cross in an incredibly internalized way. Christ seems to rest in himself, letting the pain wash over him.
In the full-body depiction of the crucified man, his face is covered by his hanging hair. Mary Magdalene (?) stands to his right in a green dress with a brown veil – a row of small vestal virgins flank the legs of the Savior.
On the left side of Christ is a wooden object that can be interpreted as an instrument of torture. Interestingly, both the vestal virgins and the instrument of torture turn out to be painted on raised canvases.
The whole scene seems to take place in a studio. It is most likely a case of the artist’s complete identification with Christ, with Mary Magdalene and the high priestesses representing the women in Balistreri’s life.