Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Historien Bibel
Germany, between 1375 and 1400
MS M.268 fol. 31v

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Upper half: Christ: bearing Cross -- Christ, cross-nimbed, supporting cross on right shoulder, is bound with rope around waist and led by left hand of tormentor, wearing Jew’s hat, with right arms raised. To left, among two men, one wearing Jew’s hat, possibly Simon of Cyrene, touching lower end of arm of the cross, both emerging from arched doorway in crenellated city gate of Jerusalem. To right, group of five helmeted soldiers, holding spears, follow two men, one wearing Jew’s hat, the other wearing hat, both holding stems of tau-crosses and following two thieves, possibly Dysmas and Gestas, with wrists bound behind them and led by rope tied around waists, all held with right hand of tormentor at far right, also carrying ladder over his shoulders. Lower half: Christ: Crucifixion, nailed to Cross -- Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing long loin cloth, with left arm and feet bound to cross with rope pulled by two of five tormentors, and His hand and feet pierced with nails held in hands of three of five tormentors, with their opposite hands raising hammers, one wearing Jew’s hat. The cross leaning against craggy mound behind which stand Virgin Mary, veiled with wimple, and Evangelist John, both nimbed, and another man, possibly Joseph of Arimathea, all with hands clasped. To right, among Dysmas and Gestas, one with eyes closed, bound to tau-cross and bleeding from wounds, the other lead by rope backwards up ladder propped on another tau-cross, the rope held by tormentor, wearing hat; three men looking upward at far right.