Matthias Stom Christ Crowned with Thorns, c. 1633-39 Oil on canvas is a two-dimensional painting where you can see Christ in a leaning sitting position, his arms bound together, his body draped in a red cloth and a crown made of thorns on his head with blood dripping down the side of his face. His face is filled with sadness and sorrow while the soldiers mock and humiliate him calling him “King of the Jews”. The soldier wearing a red robe seems to be taunting Christ, using a wooden stick and pointing it at him in a teasing manner. The man standing behind Christ has his hand resting on his left shoulder while leaning into him with an angry expression. The soldier in black clothing has his hand out to him as if questioning him. Overall, the posture of the figures create diagonal balance because of the way their bodies lean in towards the center of the painting creating an invisible diagonal line that the eyes perceive. In the painting, the candle that is held out by one of the soldiers illuminates the dark background as well as emphasizing the facial expressions of each soldier and Christ, intensifying the color contrast and giving a warm glow to the painting. The candle intensifies Christ the most since it is directly in front of him giving the viewer a better view of his facial expression and body posture. Another detail you can almost sense in the painting is how the candle can make the viewer think that the painting has a light of its own, it almost looks realistic and three-dimensional, it gives the viewer the illusion of finding themselves in that horrifying night scene with the soldiers and Christ creating a deep connection with the painting.