Spear of Longinus Adapted
First Posted 18 September 2005:
An overwhelming percentage of crucifixion paintings depict the spear wound on Christ's right side; however, in the Gospel of John, the only one who mentions the occurrence of this wound, there is no indication of which side was speared. Essays by modern cardiologists support the right-side wound--however, the early Christian artists, though no doubt well-informed of the intracacies of external anatomy, would have been relatively ignorant about internal anatomy, and, more specifically, the field of cardiology. In addition, depictions of the crucifixion were verboten for several hundred years after the event itself. Therefore, without documentation, how would artists have known with any certainty whether the wound was on the left or right side? Is instead the placement of the wound artistic tradition?
Blame it on the French:
“The Byzantine or Eastern tradition was for the wound to be placed on our Lord’s right side, but a custom arose in the West, probably in South Gaul, of placing the wound on the left. This custom passed into Merovingian art and thence to Ireland and Wales.” -J. Eric Hunt, English and Welsh Crucifixes 670-1550
Statistical Outlier:
“John Valentine Haidt followed the European Renaissance school except for a few details, notable the pierced side of Christ. The Renaissance painters expressed the piercing on the right side of the body while Haidt repeatedly painted the piercing on the left.” -Robert Henkes, The Crucifixion in American Art
Leftist Conspiracy:
“... Longinus casts his lance into Christ’s left side—rather than the right, which we have come to expect. This feature, found on many early Irish crucifixion scenes, may stem from the account in the apocryphal Passion of Longinus telling how he split Christ’s heart in twain, which he could have done only if he had pierced Christ’s left side.” -Peter Harbison, The Crucifixion in Irish Art
Adapted 10 March 2011:
An overwhelming percentage of crucifixion paintings depict the spear wound on Christ's right side; however, in the Gospel of John, the only one who mentions the occurrence of this wound, there is no indication of which side was speared. Essays by modern cardiologists support the right-side wound--however, the early Christian artists, though no doubt well-informed of the intracacies of external anatomy, would have been relatively ignorant about internal anatomy, and, more specifically, the field of cardiology. In addition, depictions of the crucifixion were verboten for several hundred years after the event itself. Therefore, without documentation, how would artists have known with any certainty whether the wound was on the left or right side? Is instead the placement of the wound artistic tradition?
Blame it on the French:
“The Byzantine or Eastern tradition was for the wound to be placed on our Lord’s right side, but a custom arose in the West, probably in South Gaul, of placing the wound on the left. This custom passed into Merovingian art and thence to Ireland and Wales.” -J. Eric Hunt, English and Welsh Crucifixes 670-1550
Statistical Outlier:
“John Valentine Haidt followed the European Renaissance school except for a few details, notable the pierced side of Christ. The Renaissance painters expressed the piercing on the right side of the body while Haidt repeatedly painted the piercing on the left.” -Robert Henkes, The Crucifixion in American Art
Leftist Conspiracy:
“... Longinus casts his lance into Christ’s left side—rather than the right, which we have come to expect. This feature, found on many early Irish crucifixion scenes, may stem from the account in the apocryphal Passion of Longinus telling how he split Christ’s heart in twain, which he could have done only if he had pierced Christ’s left side.” -Peter Harbison, The Crucifixion in Irish Art
Adapted 10 March 2011:
posted by The Constable at 6:10 PM
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