Bearing of the Cross, (Entombment Destroyed) 1501

Hans Holbein the Elder created this panel painting, “Bearing of the Cross,” around 1500, though we don’t know exactly when. It’s now held in the Städel Museum. Here, Holbein presents Christ's tormentors in the guise of contemporary figures. Painted in Germany, Holbein’s image reflects the political and religious tensions of the time, as well as a deeply felt anxiety that authorities are abusing their powers. He makes it appear that those authorities are standing right there in the crowd. The work’s original pairing with a depiction of the Entombment—now lost—suggests the artist's deep engagement with the popular piety of his era. Looking more closely, a historian might consider the role of religious guilds or confraternities in commissioning such works. The history of this painting invites us to reflect on the social functions of art and the complex interplay between religious expression and cultural identity in the late Middle Ages.