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Simon Bening placed Christ in the center of this miniature in a pose that reveals dignity and grace in the face of his attackers. Despite the grievous wounds he has sustained, Christ retains a solemn beauty while his tormenters appear ugly, foolish, and evil. In juxtaposing the distorted features of the henchmen with Christ's comely figure, Bening followed a common medieval artistic tradition meant to evoke a sympathetic response from the beholder. He also drew the viewer into the scene by placing Pilate and his retinue outside the windows of the torture chamber. In a sense, the officials mirror the position of the person looking at the picture.

Details

  • Title: The Crowning with Thorns
  • Creator: Simon Bening
  • Date Created: about 1525–1530
  • Location Created: Bruges, Belgium
  • Physical Dimensions: Leaf: 16.8 × 11.4 cm (6 5/8 × 4 1/2 in.)
  • Type: Folio
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Tempera colors, gold paint, and gold leaf on parchment
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 83.ML.115.160v
  • Culture: Flemish
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Ms. Ludwig IX 19, fol. 160v
  • Creator Display Name: Simon Bening (Flemish, about 1483 - 1561)
  • Classification: Manuscripts (Documents)

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