The Crowning with Thorns (Caravaggio, Prato)

Analysis of Sources: Caravaggio’s The Crowning with Thorns

---

Main Themes

Attribution and Dating

The attribution of The Crowning with Thorns to Caravaggio is debated. However, a contract signed by the artist on June 25, 1605, references a similar painting, suggesting that this work was created before this date. The influence of Rubens’ Crowning with Thorns (1602) on the figure of Christ is evident in Caravaggio’s painting.

Style

Caravaggio’s style in this work draws inspiration from Rubens’ altarpiece for the pose of Christ and Titian’s interpretation of the same subject (currently at the Louvre) for the soldier holding the lance. Nonetheless, Caravaggio adopts a more symmetrical and compact approach, akin to the style of 15th-century artists like Hieronymus Bosch, particularly seen in Bosch’s Christ Mocked.

Composition

The gestures of the executioners are restrained, directing the focus toward Christ, who gazes upward with his hands bound, in an almost forgiving gesture. This simplicity heightens the dramatic intensity of the scene.

---

Key Points

• The commission for this painting came from Massimo Massimi, a wealthy art collector.
• The painting was part of a pair with Ecce Homo, also commissioned by Massimi.
• The work reflects the influence of Rubens and Titian on Caravaggio.
• The style marks a return to a more classical composition, focusing on symmetry and containment.

---

Key Quotes

• “Caravaggio personally drafted a contract to paint ‘a painting of the same size and value as the one I have already made of the crowning of Christ.’”
• “Stylistically, the painting is inspired by Rubens’ altarpiece for the pose of Christ and Titian’s treatment of the same subject… for the soldier holding the lance.”
• “But Caravaggio returned to the compact and symmetrical approach used by 15th-century artists, visible for example in the work of Hieronymus Bosch in Christ Mocked.”
• “The gestures that define the situation are restrained and implied—almost imperceptible actions by the executioners concentrate the attention on Christ, who raises his eyes, his bound hands slightly lifted in what seems like a gesture of forgiveness.”

---

Conclusion

The Crowning with Thorns in Prato is a significant work in the stylistic evolution of Caravaggio. Despite uncertainties surrounding its attribution, the painting provides a fascinating glimpse into the artistic influences and innovations of the Italian master. With its compelling composition and subtle emotional intensity, it highlights Caravaggio’s ability to blend classical and contemporary elements, bridging influences from Rubens, Titian, and the 15th-century tradition.