Duccio's Maesta


Rear view
Central panel: the Passion

11: The mocking of Jesus

         Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?  Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
  (Matthew 26  v 67 - 69)

Note: Matthew alone doesn't quite make sense of the comment 'who is it that smote thee?'.  We need to know that Jesus is blindfolded, as Luke tells us:

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?  And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. (Luke 22 v 64 - 65)

  The point of the taunt is that Jesus is being asked to 'prophesy' who had hit him when he was unable to see them. 
   Note that Peter is seen at the left, and the cock is crowing above him.

      
  Maesta rear index

 

 


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