In his early career, Pieter Aertsen gained prominence for his religious commissions and large altarpieces. Taken from the gospel of Matthew, the painter depicts Christ arriving at Jerusalem, with the city's walls and domes visible on the left. Christ rides a donkey draped with a patterned cloth, accompanied by several figures in vibrant colors who throw their garments to the ground for the animal to step on, as a sign of respect towards Jesus.