How does this artwork elucidate its Interpretation?
Christ Crowned with Thorns is both a departure from Bosch's usual style and from the way the Passion was customarily depicted at the time, with blood and violence. The painting is deceptively simple and has hidden symbolism.  For example, the oak leaves in the hat of the figure at top right would have been understood at the time to refer to Pope Julius II, a member of the della Rovere family; and the other soldier, with the crossbow bolt in his hat, refers to the alliance between the pope and the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and Louis XII of France in furtherance of the pope's militaristic ambitions. The lower figures represent the bourgeoisie and the peasantry; the lower figure on the right is identified as a Jew by his physiognomy, and the one on the left as a Turk by the crescent moon and star on his headdress; they refer to the fact that the pope was prepared to borrow money from Jews and even had dealings with the infidel Turks.
oak leaves Louis XII of France Maximilian I Bosch Christ Crowned with Thorns Pope Julius II Louis XII crossbow bolt della Rovere