Crux Fashion 2
Traditionally a crucifixion illustration had a number of basic components including nails, a halo and a crown of thorns. These were used to identify Jesus from the two thieves who were usually roped to their crosses on either side of the figure on centre stage. A further component was the titulus proclaiming in latin, Greek and Hebrew, 'Iesvs Nasoreanvs Rex Ivdaeorvm' (popularly abbreviated to 'INRI') - thus named and shamed, we can be in no doubt as to the victim's identity. The 'INRI' titulus and crown of thorns have been perpetuated in recent crux art where the subject is not otherwise recognisably a messianic pretender (e.g. a female.) Also traditional in art was the loin cloth worn by each victim during execution and this often makes an appearance in wider modern crux art. Only the 'INRI' titulus and crown of thorns are unique as references to Jesus. Thousands of others died roped or nailed to crosses, including the saints who qualify for the halos. The loin cloth is a timeless piece of apparently simple apparel featuring in images of Jesus, the ancient Egyptians, Mahatma Gandhi and prisoners of war working on the Burma-Siam Railway (some of whom were also co-incidentally crucified).
When the Romans reduced a human being to a bloody, tormented, shameful public spectacle in the name of justice and deterrence, they were not generally sensitive about the modesty of the victim. Of all their conquered territories, only in Judaea were they confronted by a nation who would rather die for their God than submit to the Emperor. Consequently, only in Judaea did the Romans exercise toleration for the local religion and make some allowances for Jewish religious law, although this was by no means universal. In a flogging, the Romans might limit the number of lashes to thirty nine because Jewish law said it should not exceed forty. In the matter of executions, Jewish law required death to occur on the same day the sentence was passed if possible, and executed corpses were not to be left on display during the hours of darkness. During the uneasy peace of the occupation, the Romans accommodated this by breaking the legs of the crucified before sunset to hasten death and allowed the bodies to be removed before nightfall.
There is much literary speculation about what else the Romans may have accommodated, usually by Christian writers, especially in view of the execution of Jewish women under Roman law and by the Roman method. If the Romans were going to make an example of someone, concessions to modesty were low on their list of considerations. If they were going to execute a person decently, they wouldn't employ crucifixion, which was abhorrent to the Jews. But because it was abhorrent and indecent, they did employ it. And because the Jews would rather die, the employment was extensive, widespread and numerically awesome. Ultimately the number of loin cloths worn at those events must remain a matter for conjecture.
I think it's an incredibly arousing pic with or without the loincloth ... and I like the fact that the loincloth is not the usual white. It's also not hard to believe that the Romans cared at all about the modesty of the condemned. Very interesting post!