Christ Before Herod; The Flagellation after 1585

Editor: This is "Christ Before Herod; The Flagellation" by Anton Wierix II. It looks to be an engraving, and it's interesting how it depicts two separate scenes on one page. What strikes you most about it? Curator: What I find compelling is how Wierix positions the figure of Christ within these power dynamics. In the left panel, he's almost presented as a pawn, shuffled between Herod and his accusers. The flagellation on the right then becomes a brutal display of dominance. Editor: So you see it as a commentary on power? Curator: Absolutely. Consider how Christ’s body becomes a site of contestation. His suffering is not just physical; it's a public spectacle meant to reinforce the authority of the ruling class. The almost theatrical staging seems significant, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I never really considered the staging of it all. Curator: This work invites us to reflect on the ways in which power operates, and how bodies, particularly vulnerable ones, become canvases upon which narratives of control are written. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. Thanks!