Christ before Annas

Here Simon Bening continued with the stunning effects of flames and light that so fascinated him in the previous nocturnal scenes of Christ's betrayal and arrest. The torches brought inside burn with a new, more focused brightness, while the glowing coals and popping embers of the fire behind Annas make his portly figure more prominent. The viewer can almost feel heat coming from the hearth. More than just a skillful display on the artist's part, this detailed observation and representation of the natural world was a means of bringing the events of Christ's life into the viewer's sphere by presenting them as if they were occurring right before the viewer's eyes.