Mocking of Christ

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's called Mocking of Christ, and it's super old – it was painted way back in 1538! Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers). Wow, that's a long, long time ago! nn

This painting shows a very important moment in a story about Jesus. It's a little bit sad, but also shows us how strong and brave Jesus was. The painting is quite small, not as big as this room! It's only about this big (gesture to indicate size). But even though it's small, it tells a big story. See the man in the middle? That's Jesus. He's sitting down, and someone's put a blindfold over his eyes. Can you imagine how that feels? nn

Look closely at the people around Jesus. One person is adjusting his blindfold. Another is pulling his beard! They don't look very nice, do they? They're making fun of him. See their clothes? They're wearing bright colors, but the colors around Jesus are darker and sadder. What do you think those colors make you feel? (Pause for answers). nn

The background is a bit dark and mysterious. It looks like a fancy room, maybe a palace or a courtroom. There are other people there too, but they're not as bright as the ones making fun of Jesus. Can you see the soldiers in the corner? They're there to keep everyone safe, but they're also a reminder that Jesus was in trouble. nn

This painting uses light and dark to show us how Jesus felt. The bright colors show the mean people, and the darker colors show Jesus' sadness. The artist was really good at showing us the feelings of the people in the painting, even though it's so old! What do you think the artist wanted us to feel when we look at this painting? (Pause for answers). nn

This painting isn't just a picture from a long time ago. It's a story about being kind and brave, even when things are hard. It reminds us to think about how others feel and to be nice to everyone. What do you think we can learn from this painting today? (Pause for answers). Thank you for looking at this painting with me! I hope you enjoyed learning about it.