Passion Crib @museum.de

M: This Passion crib was built by Augustin Alois Probst, who lived and worked at the prince-archbishop’s court in Brixen/South Tyrol from 1792 to 1807 – a period of 15 years. The crib shows the Passion of Jesus across 13 stations.

F: Cribs that show different, thematically distinct scenes in a single landscape are called multi-scene cribs. This one includes 75 individual figurines carved by Augustin Alois Probst in around 1805. In terms of art history, his work can be attributed to the naturalistic late baroque style from the final years of the 18th century. The architecture of the crib was created around a century later, in the early 20th century.

M: The route taken by Jesus in the course of his Passion runs from right to left – from the last night before his capture to the resurrection. Let’s look at some of the stations:

F: The scene on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, shows the last night before he is captured. Christ is in agony. Another scene shows the high priests’ guards arresting Jesus.

M: Jesus is bound and hauled before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate sees no guilt in him, but under pressure from the baying mob, he gives the order for Jesus to be crucified.

F: Jesus is chained to a marble column, where he’s scourged by Roman torturers, one on each side.

M: The scene under the archway beyond shows the crown of thorns being placed on Christ’s brow.

F: The "via dolorosa" leads from Pontius Pilate's palace to the place of execution on Mount Golgotha. Christ is seen carrying the cross, while Saint Veronica hands him her handkerchief, known as the sudarium. The pair are preceded by two criminals sentenced along with Christ.

M: Christ hangs on the cross between the two criminals. Standing at his feet are John, Mary, Mary Magdalene – and another figure which only crops up in the Tyrolean region. He bears the instruments of torture, in other words, hammer, pincers and nails.

F: For the entombment of Christ, Probst opted for a portrayal that broke with tradition. He laid Christ on a sarcophagus, thus giving him royal status.

M: Finally, we have the resurrected Christ surrounded by an aureole, his right hand raised in blessing. In his left hand, he holds the flag symbolising Easter that marks him out as victorious over life and death.