Lord of the Green Reed Ecce Homo

The representation of Christ in scenes from the Passion is often accentuated by the depictions of the prison or the presentation before the jeering mob that called Him the King of the Jews. This polychrome painting on wood depicts the already lashed Christ wearing the crown of thorns, hands tied to a rope hanging from the neck and holding a green reed in his right hand, as if it were a scepter. It is thus, commonly known as the “Lord of the Green Reed”. Using simple pictorial resources and a certain interpretative naiveity, the artist successfully captures this moment of pain, which is underscored by including two other objects that make Christ easily recognizable – a scarlet cloak and golden halo. The original frame is missing and as a result, the image is free of more superfluous detail.