This large oil painting is a significant figurative work by the artist from the 1960s. This powerful subject shows the influence of his summer that year in Europe, in particular his time in the Netherlands where he studied Rembrandt and the Old Masters at the Rijksmuseum on visits to Amsterdam. This type of iconic subject matter painted in expressive brush strokes and in a centralized composition is seen in other works, such as Greek Tree, 1964, made upon his return. Other Biblical subjects from the 1960s include Gabriel, 1965, and Jonah and the Whale, 1967. Driskell was both a professor in the Department of Art at Howard University and director of the Barnett Aden Gallery in Washington, DC in 1964 - his tenure there lasted from 1962 to 1966. Black Crucifixionis the first of his large figurative works from the 1960s to come to auction. McGee pp. 62 - 66.
