A panel from the Maestà altarpiece, this work depicts the Flagellation of Christ with the characteristic narrative clarity and refined style of the Sienese School.

The Flagellation of Christ is a panel from the reverse side of the Maestà, the monumental altarpiece commissioned for the Siena Cathedral. Duccio di Buoninsegna, a central figure in the development of Sienese painting, utilised tempera and gold leaf to construct this narrative scene. The composition is divided by two spiralling columns, which create a clear spatial separation between the central figure of Christ and his tormentors.

Christ stands bound to a central column, his posture conveying a sense of resignation. To the right, a figure in a dark tunic and red cloak gestures towards the scene, acting as an observer or authority figure. The left side of the panel is crowded with a group of figures, their varied expressions and postures adding a sense of movement to the event. The architectural setting is rendered with a focus on clarity, using the columns to frame the action while maintaining a relatively shallow depth typical of the period.

Duccio employs a palette of muted earth tones, punctuated by the red of the cloaks and the gold of the halo. The figures are depicted with a degree of naturalism that was advanced for the early fourteenth century, particularly in the rendering of the musculature and the drapery of the garments. The work demonstrates the artist's ability to organise complex narrative groups within a restricted space. As part of the larger Maestà, this panel reflects the devotional function of the altarpiece, intended to guide the viewer through the events of the Passion. The attention to detail, from the texture of the columns to the individualised faces of the crowd, characterises the refined approach of the Sienese School during this era.