Christ Bound with Thorns c. 15th century

Curator: Today we're looking at "Christ Bound with Thorns," an early print held by the Harvard Art Museums. Its creator is, unfortunately, unknown, and the work is undated. Editor: The crude lines strike me immediately. It’s not refined, but raw. You can almost feel the coarseness of the woodblock, the labor involved. Curator: Precisely. This wasn’t an artwork for an elite audience. Prints like this circulated widely, conveying religious narratives to a broader public. The brutality of the scene is starkly depicted. Editor: Note how the figures tormenting Christ are rendered with such exaggerated gestures, almost comical in their malice. It highlights a deliberate lack of refinement in the production process. Curator: The image serves a clear didactic purpose: to evoke empathy for Christ's suffering and reinforce religious devotion. The halo, though simple, is a strong symbolic anchor. Editor: Considering the piece in terms of craft, the choice of materials—the paper, the ink, the wood—speaks to a desire for accessibility, for mass consumption. What do you think? Curator: I think you’re absolutely right. It reminds us that art is not just about aesthetics, but also about social function and historical context. Editor: And materiality. I appreciate how it makes visible the labor of its creation.