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What is the purpose behind a gruesome image of the crucifixion of Christ and a serene figure of Buddha in enlightened state?
A small coloured wood-cut, created in the Netherlands around 1500, offers a particularly gruesome rendering of Christ's crucifixion. Christ is pictured with blood pouring from his torso, his head, his legs and his outstretched arms. These are not realistically arranged droplets; instead we see a flurry of vertical red strokes, tightly packed together and evenly spaced. Neil MacGregor reflects on the purpose of this image.
He also considers a serene figure of the Buddha, a halo behind his head, already in his enlightened state.
(Photo: Figurine of the Buddha with a halo in his enlightened state. Credit: The Trustees of the British Museum)
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- Sun 11 Mar 2018 03:32GMT大象传媒 World Service except News Internet
- Sun 11 Mar 2018 19:32GMT大象传媒 World Service except News Internet
Animations
Neil MacGregor tells the stories of some of the key objects in the series.
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