Christ Crowned With Thorns 1938

Horace Pippin made this painting, Christ Crowned With Thorns, without specifying the year, using a somewhat muted palette. It’s fascinating how the dark background makes the figure emerge, as if from a dream. Looking closely, you can see Pippin’s hand in the deliberate, almost rough texture. It feels like he built up the image layer by layer, each stroke adding to the weight of the scene. The way he handles the paint – not trying to hide the process but embracing it – gives the painting a raw, honest feel. Notice the stark contrast between the pale flesh and the dark thorns, it creates a powerful emotional pull. It’s in these details, in the physicality of the paint, that the work truly comes alive. Pippin's work shares some sensibilities with artists like Bill Traylor, who also brought a unique perspective to their art, outside of any conventional training. Art is always a conversation, echoing and responding across time. It’s not about fixed meanings, but about opening up new ways of seeing.