The Flagellation, from The Passion 1472 - 1553

Lucas Cranach the Elder’s woodcut, “The Flagellation,” presents us with a scene laden with cruelty, yet rich in symbolic language. The central figure, Christ, is tied to a pillar, enduring the blows of his tormentors. Consider the pillar itself, a classical motif here twisted into an instrument of suffering. The column as a symbol has deep roots in ancient Rome as an emblem of strength and empire. It resurfaces here during the Renaissance, embodying notions of power, but now inverted. The flailing bodies echo throughout the history of art, from antiquity to modernism. In the composition, the torturers embody frenzy, expressing extreme states of aggression. This chaotic energy, however, is deliberately captured by Cranach. How does this collective memory of suffering shape our understanding, even our subconscious processing, of such displays across time? The column, originally a symbol of the glory of antiquity, now witnesses a scene of debasement, a psychological transference that engages the viewer in a powerful and disturbing way. The cyclical progression of symbols like these remind us that they never truly vanish; instead, they evolve, resurface, and take on new meanings.