The Flagellation 

This is an anonymous woodcut of the Flagellation. Its stark, graphic style offers an insight into the visual culture and religious sentiments of its time. Made in Europe, probably during the late medieval or early Renaissance period, it depicts the biblical scene of Christ being whipped before his crucifixion. The setting, perhaps a Roman courtyard, uses linear perspective. The tormentors’ dress codes, and the architectural details, tell us about period tastes. The image likely served a devotional purpose, perhaps as an inexpensive print sold to pilgrims or used in private prayer. Religious institutions widely used such images to instill faith. Understanding the context in which such works were produced helps us to appreciate their historical significance. Resources such as religious texts, social histories, and studies of print culture offer greater understanding. The meaning of an artwork changes, dependent on the cultural and institutional contexts that surround it.