The composition is divided into two equal parts by the cross of Christ. Traditionally, Christ's relatives are standing on the right side of the cross, while his enemies are on the left. In the middle is the monumental figure of the Lord, somewhat bigger than that of the other characters. According to some medieval meditations, it was Mary who covered her son's loins with her kerchief, seeing his nudity. This is reinforced by the similarities between the kerchief here and the one on the Visitation picture.

The castle built on the cliff in the background's right-hand side is probably the fortress of Ecclesia - fortress of the faith of the New Testament -, while the building on the lake on the left is the Synagoga. The twisted and naked tree on the side of the picture - the same as the one on The Mount of Olives - is the symbol of suffering. It could also be the tree of the Fall which died after Eve picked the apple and from which Christ's cross was made. The skull at the foot of the cross could be that of Adam whose skull was rejected from the ground here. The overlapping golden squares, made from golden ducats, form a visible net on the background.