Christ before Pontius Pilate

Christ is a center of calm and beauty amidst the howling mob that has brought him to trial before Pontius Pilate. The governor is ready to wash his hands of Jesus, saying “I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it” and delivering him to be scourged and crucified (Matthew 27:24–26). The artist seems familiar with Leonardo da Vinci’s studies of “ideal ugliness,” counterparts to his studies of “ideal beauty,” and has used bizarre visages to convey the degradation of fallen humanity. The viewer sees up-close the gruesome figures with distorted features and nose rings thanks to the half-length format and crowding of figures against the picture plane. These are typical features of a type of Flemish devotional picture then in favor. The Gothic architectural elements in the upper corners suggest the staged quality of the scene and create a theater of piety and morality that suspends Pilate’s action in time.