Die Händewaschung des Pilatus

Art Historical Context

In the Belvedere Collection in Vienna, *Die Händewasch des Pilatus* ( Handwashing of Pilate) by Swiss artist Franz Sigrist the Elder captivates with its intimate scale—measuring just 30.2 x 21.3 cm—and masterful oil grisaille on paper, created around 1780. This poignant biblical scene from the Gospel of Matthew depicts Pontius Pilate ritually washing his hands to symbolize his refusal of responsibility in Jesus Christ's condemnation, a moment rich in moral and dramatic tension during the late Enlightenment era. Sigrist, renowned for his grisaille technique—a monochrome palette of grays mimick...