Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Prayer Bead with Jesus Carrying the Cross and the Lamentation
Not on view
This bead is simple but clear in its focus on poignant, central moments in a story often conceived by the boxwood carvers in a more complex manner. In the upper half, the labored and difficult path that Jesus follows to the Crucifixion site is smoothed by Veronica’s quiet offering of a cloth to wipe his face. His mother, Mary, quietly mourns his death in the companion scene below. In an unexpected detail, a man behind her holds a large circlet. Is it the Crown of Thorns that had been placed around Jesus’ head, or perhaps a ring of roses, signifying the cycle of prayers known as the Rosary?
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This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
