The Crowning with Thorns 1596 - 1598

Editor: So, this is Zacharias Dolendo's "The Crowning with Thorns." It's an engraving, and I find the scene pretty disturbing. All these figures are surrounding Christ… What strikes you most about this work? Curator: It's true, there's a palpable tension. I think Dolendo captured the psychological space so well, no? Look at the way he uses light and shadow. It emphasizes the cruelty, of course. But it also isolates Christ, making him almost glow amidst the darkness. What does that luminosity mean to you? Editor: It almost feels like hope, despite the torment. Like a spotlight on his sacrifice? Curator: Precisely. It's a powerful statement on suffering and redemption. I’m struck by the details, and it resonates differently each time.