The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning With Thorns

Image and text credit: Christ Wearing the Crown of Thorns, Supported by Angels, Carracci

Christ, shown at the centre of this work as a half-length figure supported by two angels, dominates the picture. His naked upper body leans forward and slightly to the left, a movement continued by his head, which bears the crown of thorns and is surrounded by a halo. The face of the Saviour, shown in profile, streams with blood and is partly cast in shadow by the heavy crown of thorns; the eyes and mouth are half-open. Christ wears a white cloth about his loins, and a red cloak slips from his shoulders. The angel to the left is clothed in a white cape held together by a brooch and supports Christ's bent right arm with his two hands, placed one on top of the other. To the right a second angel, mouth open, looks upwards in lamentation. The light, shining flesh tones of the Saviour are lent additional intensity by their contrast with the warm, yellowish-brown of the wall behind. To the right is a narrow stretch of countryside with a tree leaning to the right, in a compositional correspondence with Christ's twisted body.