Spanish - Christ Crowned with Thorns - Walters 71434 (2)

This multi-figure subject was much more of a challenge to carve from an ivory tusk than a single figure of St. Sebastian or Christ, such as those nearby. That challenge may have been the point. The combination of elongated bodies, realistic details, such as the flapping skirts of the soldier's armor, the harsh expressions, and the raw, awkward energy of the piece suggest that it was carved in Spain around 1600.