[1] Another painting of the same subject in Bosch's style but with a different composition is held by the El Escorial near Madrid, Christ Crowned with Thorns; this is now usually attributed to a follower.

A serene Jesus, dressed in white at the centre of the busy scene, is gazing calmly from the picture, in contrast with the violent intent of the four men around him.

Examination of the picture has shown that in the preliminary sketch, the scene was more brutal, and the cruelty has been toned down in the final version, making the men's expressions more enigmatic.

The figures are crowded together in a small space in a single plane, in a manner reminiscent of Flemish devotional art of the type popularized by Hans Memling and Hugo van der Goes.

[1] Christ Crowned with Thorns is both a departure from Bosch's usual style and from the way the Passion was customarily depicted at the time, with blood and violence.