Flagellation of Jesus

The Master of the Drapery Studies depicted the Flagellation of Jesus around 1485 as part of his Passion cycle. The scene of Christ scourged at the pillar was one of the most physically brutal in the Passion narrative. The master's treatment emphasizes the violence of the tormentors through angular, energetic figure drawing. The oil medium allowed for rich tonal transitions and glazed layers of color that created luminous depth impossible with the older tempera technique. Such devotional panels served both liturgical contexts in churches and chapels and private devotional use in the homes of wealthy families who maintained personal altars and oratories.

Oil on panel with dynamic rendering of the scourging scene. The master's distinctive drapery handling is evident in the tormentors' garments, and the angular figure drawing conveys the physical violence of the scene.