Crucifix

Abstract

To the right of the main altar of San Lorenzo in Panisperna in Rome stands a fourteenth-century polychrome wood crucifix. It is said to have spoken to Saint Bridget of Sweden from the cross during prayer. Christ’s body is tense, his emaciated arms stretched to the point of discomfort. His eyes, half-open, are delicately painted with discernible pupils, while his parted lips reveal both rows of teeth and a visible tongue. It can be hypothesized that Christ’s tongue was once movable, as other crucifixes of this type by Giovanni Teutonico are known to have such a mechanism. A thick torrent of blood flows from his fifth wound. The veins and blood appear to be in relief, with the veins possibly applied with string dipped in gesso. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.