Focus on this artwork and discuss the Description.
The oil painting combines two events from Biblical account of the Passion of Jesus: the Mocking of Jesus and the Crowning with Thorns.  A serene Jesus, dressed in white at the centre of the busy scene, is gazing calmly from the picture, in contrast with the violent intent of the four men around him.  Two armoured soldiers stand above and behind him, with two other spectators kneeling below and in front.
The soldier to the right, with oak leaves in his hat and a spiked collar, is grasping Christ's shoulder, while the other soldier to the left, dressed in green with a broad-headed hunting crossbow bolt through his headdress, holds the crown of thorns in a mailed hand, about to thrust it onto Christ's head.  The position of the crown of thorns creates a halo above the head of Jesus.  In front, the man the left has a blue robe and red head covering, and the man to the right in a light red robe is grasping Christ's cloak to strip it off.  Examination of the picture has shown that in the preliminary sketch, the scene was more brutal, and the cruelty has been toned down in the final version, making the men's expressions more enigmatic. The four tormentors of Christ may show different aspects of the four humours, with phlegmatic and melancholic soldiers, and sanguine and choleric spectators.  The figures are crowded together in a small space in a single plane, in a manner reminiscent of Flemish devotional art of the type popularized by Hans Memling and Hugo van der Goes.The painting is on an oak panel and measures 73.8 cm × 59 cm (29.1 in × 23.2 in). It was painted on top of an unfinished painting of Saint Christopher, probably also by Bosch.  It is in good condition, although some hues have faded, particularly red lakes, and the copper greens are turning brown.  Thinning paint has revealed some of the underdrawing and pentimenti.It was in the collection of Hollingworth Magniac, known as the Colworth collection, and then sold from the estate of his son Charles Magniac in 1892 and bought by Robert Thompson Crawshay (the fourth son of Robert Thompson Crawshay).  It was later bought by an art dealer, the Galleria San Giorgio in Rome, and it was bought by the National Gallery in 1934.
oak leaves Mocking of Jesus Hugo van der Goes Hollingworth Magniac Crowning with Thorns Bosch Colworth lakes Saint Christopher pentimenti Flemish devotional art Hans Memling Charles Magniac underdrawing crossbow bolt National Gallery crown of thorns Robert Thompson Crawshay copper greens Passion of Jesus four humours