De geseling c. 1470 - 1491

Editor: Here we have Martin Schongauer’s engraving, "The Flagellation," made around 1470 to 1491. It's striking how intensely the tormentors are rendered, really driving home the cruelty of the scene. What strikes you when you look at this? Curator: The power of this image lies precisely in that contrast: the active cruelty versus Christ's passive suffering. I am immediately drawn to how the image reflects power dynamics in late medieval society, the systemic brutality faced by the marginalized. Editor: Can you expand on that a little? Curator: Well, think about how Schongauer positions Christ. He is almost an object, devoid of agency, subjected to the will of those in power. The carefully rendered details of the torturers’ garments versus Christ’s exposed flesh create a sharp visual binary – illustrating the deep historical chasm between the oppressor and the oppressed. How might this relate to similar patterns of dominance throughout history, up to today? Editor: So you're saying that this image, even from the Northern Renaissance, echoes power imbalances that are still very relevant? Curator: Precisely. Consider too how religious institutions throughout history have often used images of suffering to perpetuate control. Are we being invited to empathize with Christ’s suffering, or to accept suffering as an inevitable aspect of a divinely ordained order? How can we, as critical viewers, negotiate with these loaded visual narratives? Editor: That really gives me a different perspective on the artwork. It is more than just a biblical story. Curator: Exactly. Art can act as a lens through which we critically examine power structures that continue to influence our world. Editor: I see it now. I hadn't thought about this engraving in relation to issues of power and social structure. Thank you for illuminating all these meanings for me.