Pilate Washing his Hands c. 17th century

Editor: This drawing, attributed to the School of Rembrandt, depicts "Pilate Washing his Hands." It's a striking image with all the figures crammed in; what story do you think it's telling? Curator: It's a depiction of power and its disavowal of responsibility. Pilate's act is a performance. He symbolically washes away guilt, but the act is empty. Who benefits, and who is harmed by his decision? Editor: So, it's a critique of authority figures avoiding accountability? Curator: Precisely. And consider the crowd's complicity. Their silence, their averted gazes... It speaks to the dangers of collective inaction. What does this image suggest about our present moment? Editor: I never thought of it that way before. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Art helps us question power.