Christ Scourged c. 15th century

Curator: Oh, this is Israhel van Meckenem the Younger's "Christ Scourged," housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's intense, isn't it? The lines are so sharp; it feels like each lash is cutting into the paper itself. So much cruelty captured. Curator: Indeed, the engraving medium lends itself to that starkness. Notice how the architecture almost dwarfs the figures, and the light seems to highlight the tormentors’ actions. Editor: And the faces, some are indifferent, almost bored. Others are actively malicious. It's a powerful study in the banality of evil. Curator: Van Meckenem masterfully uses perspective to draw our eye to Christ, bound yet somehow still dignified amidst the chaos. Editor: It's a stark reminder of human capacity, both for suffering and for inflicting it. I feel a somber reflection washing over me. Curator: Yes, a potent image that invites us to consider the complexities of faith, suffering, and the human condition.