Hannah, Luca Signorelli

In this painting, entitled "The Flagellation of Christ" by Luca Signorelli, the pale white (angelic) body of Christ is in sharp contrast with the surrounding reds and blacks of his attackers--drawing your eye first to his body and then to the violent men on the periphery. The man up high in the background and the figures that adorn the foundations of the building add the perspective of the picture-conveying the illusion of space. In a way, linear perspective is created that draws the eye to the small black statue behind Christ and highlighting the focus of your attention while simultaneously separating it from the background. Additionally, the eye is also drawn to the visual intensity of the man on the high chair, who appears distanced because of his relatively small size in comparison to those in the foreground. His visual contrast and appearance differentiate him from the background but also remove him from the scene going on in the front of the painting.
Also, a side note: I was surprised how many paintings depict the flagellation of Christ. I guess I shouldn't be given the history of Christian symbolism in art. But...theres a lot of flagellation going on.