Station of the Cross No. 1: "Jesus is Condemned to Death c. 1936

Beulah Bradleigh created this watercolor, “Jesus is Condemned to Death,” depicting a pivotal moment in the Passion of Christ. Pontius Pilate, enthroned and robed in red, symbolizes earthly authority, while Jesus, bound and surrounded by tormentors, embodies suffering and sacrifice. The condemnation scene, deeply rooted in Christian iconography, has been depicted countless times across centuries and cultures. Consider the gesture of Pilate, often shown washing his hands, a symbolic distancing from the moral implications of his decision. This act echoes in other narratives of evasion and denial, resonating with our collective unease with accountability. The figure of Jesus, subjected to human cruelty, taps into a primal understanding of unjust suffering, a theme that transcends religious boundaries. This image becomes a powerful vessel, engaging us on a profound, subconscious level. The cyclical nature of such imagery reveals how symbols reappear, evolve, and are imbued with new meaning across time.