3-081-192 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Christ Crowned with Thorns - One of four Illuminated pages from a Book of Hours, c1430-1450. An illuminated page showing Christ being crowned with thorns from a section in a Dutch Book of Hours known as 'The Hours of the Cross'. A Book of Hours was intended for lay people and was filled with hymns, prayers and images for them to meditate on. 'The Hours of the Cross' depicts the story of the passion of Christ. The scene is set within an arched window with an elaborately decorated border around the outside. Two figures manoeuvre the crown on to Christ's head with canes. The action takes place within a contemporary setting, rather than a biblical one. The border is decorated with foliage, fruit, birds and butterflies, which were considered to be symbols of the resurrection.