The artist used the tenebristic technique of the baroque period to create a sense of drama and suspense.
Tenebrism, also known as tenebrous painting, is an artistic style that uses extreme contrasts between light and dark to create dramatic effects. It was very popular during the Baroque period, which is when this painting was made. The artist used this technique in order to evoke a sense of mystery and intrigue by creating an overall dark tone throughout the piece.
Though there are many different ways in which tenebrism can be used, it is most commonly associated with paintings that are intended to be viewed from a distance—such as this one—as opposed to close-up portraits or details of objects. This creates a sense of depth and dimensionality within the artwork itself because it allows you to focus on specific areas only if necessary rather than being forced into looking at everything at once like you would if viewing something up close or from afar (depending on where you stand).
