The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings
By Faith Tibble
t&tclark
ISBN: 978-0-5677-1322-3
Among the most striking images of Jesus Christ is his mock coronation with the Crown of Thorns. But what if this was never a crown of thorns at all? This book explores the origins of the symbol, its transformation across centuries, and the ways medieval kings appropriated the imagery for their own authority.
Excerpt:
The depiction of the Crown of Thorns, and everything it represents, it an organic, dynamics process, rather than a single, fixed point. Its development is instead set within three distinct eras. The first development occurs in the fourth and fifth centuries, when Romano-Christian art began to render it as a wreath. The second major development occurs in the ninth-century art of the Carolingians, where two lines of innovation are introduced concurrently: the scene of the Mockery, which creates a narrative context for the Crown of Thorns but excludes its depiction; and a singular suggestion of the Crown of Thorns within the so-called Instruments of the Passion. Third, and lastly, significant changes take place within the Ottonian and Salian art of the eleventh century, where the Crown is both finally depicted with distinguishable thorns and is also included within the Mockery scene.
Who is this book for?
This book challenges a long-standing depiction of Jesus and is sure to appeal to readers interested in the history of Christianity. It will also attract medievalists, particularly art historians and scholars exploring the symbols of kingship in the Middle Ages.
“Throughout TheCrown of Thorns, Tibble uses a wide range of sources and discusses the ‘complicated evolution’ of imagery through some of the most detailed, beautiful and interesting examples, many of which grace the pages of her book. Her demonstration of the evolving Christian reinterpretations of Jesus’s Passion is compelling, although she tends to repeat her argument for emphasis. Whether the reader is Christian or not, however, her insight into the often hidden meanings of centuries of art is fascinating, and to see these images is a delight.” ~ review by Ann Skea in The Newtown Review of Books
The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings
By Faith Tibble
t&tclark
ISBN: 978-0-5677-1322-3
Among the most striking images of Jesus Christ is his mock coronation with the Crown of Thorns. But what if this was never a crown of thorns at all? This book explores the origins of the symbol, its transformation across centuries, and the ways medieval kings appropriated the imagery for their own authority.
Excerpt:
The depiction of the Crown of Thorns, and everything it represents, it an organic, dynamics process, rather than a single, fixed point. Its development is instead set within three distinct eras. The first development occurs in the fourth and fifth centuries, when Romano-Christian art began to render it as a wreath. The second major development occurs in the ninth-century art of the Carolingians, where two lines of innovation are introduced concurrently: the scene of the Mockery, which creates a narrative context for the Crown of Thorns but excludes its depiction; and a singular suggestion of the Crown of Thorns within the so-called Instruments of the Passion. Third, and lastly, significant changes take place within the Ottonian and Salian art of the eleventh century, where the Crown is both finally depicted with distinguishable thorns and is also included within the Mockery scene.
Who is this book for?
This book challenges a long-standing depiction of Jesus and is sure to appeal to readers interested in the history of Christianity. It will also attract medievalists, particularly art historians and scholars exploring the symbols of kingship in the Middle Ages.
“Throughout The Crown of Thorns, Tibble uses a wide range of sources and discusses the ‘complicated evolution’ of imagery through some of the most detailed, beautiful and interesting examples, many of which grace the pages of her book. Her demonstration of the evolving Christian reinterpretations of Jesus’s Passion is compelling, although she tends to repeat her argument for emphasis. Whether the reader is Christian or not, however, her insight into the often hidden meanings of centuries of art is fascinating, and to see these images is a delight.” ~ review by Ann Skea in The Newtown Review of Books
The Author
Faith Tibble, who has a PhD from the University of Haifa, is a medieval art historian. You can follow her on Instagram or X/Twitter. See also our profile: Faith Tibble and the Crown of Thorns: Rethinking a Medieval Icon
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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