Christ before Pontius Pilate
Wing panel from an Altarpiece of the Holy Cross from Eppinghoven Abbey

The theme of the work by the unknown master involves two scenes from the Passion of Christ. The painter skillfully binds the main scene, in which Christ is led by a soldier before the prefect Pontius Pilate, with the middle ground and background of the panel painting. In these picture planes, joined by architectural elements are further scenes of the Passion, such as the crowning with thorns, the presentation to the crowd and the flagellation. The sometimes crude physiognomies draw looking directly at us is an old bearded man from the middle ground of the painting. It is possible that it is the selfassured creator of the painting himself who is interpreting his own art as a bringing-to-life of the divine process of salvation. For the “Lamentation of Christ” the painter has oriented himself in the choice of scenerey and motifs toward Dutch painting of the 15th century, with a thematically freer handling of an event that is not recorded in the Bible. A group of two with Nikodemus the Pharisee in the right mid-ground provides a link to six further Passion scenes that show the events from the resurrection until the ascension. However, the painter clearly values the sensuous experience of materiality, as seen in the treatment of the clothing.