Kaisheimer Altar 1502

The Kaisheimer Altar, painted by Hans Holbein the Elder in 1502, depicts two scenes from the Passion of Christ: the crowning with thorns and the carrying of the cross. The left panel shows Christ being mocked and crowned with thorns, while the right panel shows him carrying the cross on his way to Golgotha. The detailed figures and emotive faces are typical of Holbein's style, which combined the realistic depiction of Northern Renaissance painting with the emotional intensity of devotional art. The altarpiece, while the current location is unknown, was likely commissioned for a church or chapel, and it would have served as a powerful reminder of Christ's suffering and sacrifice.