Panel

Flanders

The unjust judgement of Christ 1562

On the left stands Pontius Pilate washing his hands of guilt, below right Jesus with the crown of thorns on his head. Central, people, including a pope, who make accusations against Jesus.

The viewer is invited to look at this portrayal of the unjust judgement of Christ from the point of view of Pontius Pilate; we can read his words at the bottom of the painting. A number of parts of the text are too damaged to be still legible, but the general drift can be gauged from this transcription: Ick pontius pilatus provoost ende rechter in iherusalem onder den mogensten keiszer Tieberio wiens alder salichste rijck wil bewaren den alder oppersten in allen ende of allen saluijt. Sittende in den rechterstoel uuijt liefden of Iustitie ende der Sinagogen des Ioodtschen volcks is gepresenteert ihesus of nasareth die uijt vermetelicker spracken hem selven geseit heeft den sone goodes te sijn ende te wesen hoewel hij of eender armer mother geboren is geweest hem prekende te sijn coninck der joeden hem vermetende salamons werck te bederven ende t volck vander alder geproefster wet [...] te wederroepen ende of te trecken [...]. Ende dit alle gesien ende geprouft ofte gehoort. Soe beschrijven wij hem die condempnatie der galgen [...]. Dit is gevonden tot weenen in oostenrijck in een cofferken onder den aerden. 1562’: I, Pontius Pilate provost and judge in Jerusalem under the most powerful emperor Tiberius, whose all-powerful empire shall remain the highest of all empires. Seated on the judge’s chair out of love for justice and the synagogue of the Jewish people, brought before me is Jesus of Nazareth, who maliciously claims to be the son of god although he was born of a poor mother, and who out of his own mouth proclaimed himself to be king of the Jews and granted unto himself thecourage to ruin Solomon’s work and to make the people recant the most well-tried law, and to lead them away from it. And all this seen or heard or experienced.

Thus we describe he who is sentenced to the gallows . This was found in Vienna, Austria in a case in the ground. 1562. The entire first part of the text will be familiar to all: Jesus was sentenced to death based on the charge that he had proclaimed himself the son of God and king of the Jews, and that he had attacked the Jewish faith. The final line, however, is exceptionally striking. Clearly it should not be read as Pilate’s text, as it has nothing to do with Jesus’ judgement, and everything to do with the provenance of the panel. The painting seems to have been found in a case in Austrian Vienna in 1562. This news is exciting, but no longer verifiable. Back to the picture itself. Jesus sits slumped, pathetic and fearful, unclothed with the crown of thorns on his head, listening to the accusations which are being made against him. Pilate has realised what a mistake has been made with the verdict, and washes his hands of guilt. The numerous other figures present are the priests and the scribes who have accused Jesus — each one has above his head a text board which would normally carry a Bible passage specifically related to this person or situation. Note that the text boards do not hang on the wall in an entirely realistic manner; some of them are mounted on a corner, although they give the impression that their background is a flat wall.