Christ Crowned with Thorns

1622

Before Christ’s trial, Roman soldiers placed a plaited crown of thorns on his head, dressed him in a cloak and mocked him. After all, was he not the ‘King of the Jews’? The scene is dramatically illuminated by a torch, held by the boy at the left. Honthorst probably made this painting for a clandestine Catholic church (schuilkerk) in Amsterdam.