Jacopini da Reggio
The Crucifixion with St. Francis

1285
Tempera on wood with gold ground
Metropolitan Museum of Art

St. Francis hugs the base of the cross in an emotional attitude similar to that of Mary Magdalene in many Crucifixions of the era. The painting is an example of the 13th century's emphasis on pathos in considering the Crucifixion. Jesus' head sags upon his chest and his arms stretch thin under his weight. His humanity and the ignominy visited upon it are declared by the penis visible behind the gauzy cloth. Mary's companions hold her up as her knees flex as if she were about to faint.

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Source of photo, date, and attribution: Sunipix (See copyright notice at their page.)