Gerard van Honthorst 1590 – 1656

The Crowning with Thorns

oil on canvas (192 × 221 cm) — c. 1622 Museum Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Gerard van Honthorst biography

This work is linked to Mark 15:17

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Two men use a stick to firmly press the crown of thorns on Jesus' head. Two boys mock him: one blows a horn in his ear, the other cocks a snook at him.

The crowning is a way to mock Christ, who was said to be the King of the Jews. The reed in his hand is another 'royal' attribute: a king's sceptre.

Jesus' trial has finished. The Roman governor Pilate is about to show him to the people. After that, the journey to Golgotha begins.

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