A LARGE EARLY 16TH CENTURY FRENCH CARVED WOOD AND POLYCHROME DECORATED RELIEF DEPICTING CHRIST ON THE ROAD TO GOLGOTHAChrist carrying the cross surrounded by a procession of soldiers, with the two thieves at the front of the procession, with a town in the distance, with later additions to the top flat section, mounted in a later wooden frame,44.5cm x 83cm excluding frameThis complex multi-figural scene is derived from the engraving byMartin Schongauer (German, ca. 1435/50–1491), an example is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Inv. no. 35.27. Schongauer was known to have been inspired by a painting of the same subject by Jan van Eyck which is now lost but known through copies, however he altered the scene by turning Christ's head so that he stares directly at the viewer, encouraging us to meditate on Christ's suffering. The carver of this relief followed Schongauer's technique and although full of different people and animals the eye is drawn to the central figure of Christ who stares back at us.