The flagellation of Christ 1625 - 1675

These gilded bronze reliefs depicting "The Flagellation of Christ" were crafted by Giambologna in the late 16th century. We see Christ bound and subjected to brutal violence. The act of flagellation, deeply rooted in religious and social history, transcends its literal representation. In antiquity, ritualistic beatings were used as a way to purify or expiate sins. One can trace this motif through time in various forms, from ancient fertility rites to medieval flagellant movements. The emotional weight of this scene is palpable. The torturers are frozen in their cruel acts, while Christ's posture conveys deep suffering. This tableau is a visceral reminder of human cruelty, echoing across the ages. The gesture of striking, the acceptance of pain: These are not merely actions, but deeply ingrained symbols of power and submission, played out time and again in the theater of human history. These symbols, ingrained in the collective psyche, resurface in different guises across epochs, constantly re-interpreted through the lens of evolving human experience.