Jesus is stripped of his garments

Stations of the Cross By A.Vonn Hartung

Once again, we see Jesus the center of attention. Of all the humiliations he has been given this in some ways is the greatest. He is stripped in a way that He is feeling naked, but in His nakedness and through whatever indignity He is feeling, God is showing the beauty and strength of the human body, and the physical beauty of His son. This I wanted to portray, as so many times Jesus is shown as effeminate. He was a powerful worker, a carpenter in the sense that He did many tasks with His father Joseph with heavy lumber that was required to build houses, means of transportation as well as plows and other farm equipment and tools. His musculature attests that He was a working man, a laborer serving the needs of His neighbors. He stands in great dignity as the king He is, not the condemned cowed criminal His tormentors would like Him to be. Here we see the conclusion of the conversion of the Centurion standing to Jesus’ right pulling off His robe. He looks up to God, realizing his complicity in the torture and execution of this innocent and seemingly divine man. It will be this Centurion whom we will hear speak the words in Mark 15:39 upon seeing Jesus breathe His last breath on the Cross (“Truly this man was the Son of God!”) NOTE—These original Stations of the Cross were painted for a Catholic church in Puerto Rico. The artist conceived them with the community in mind and they include many of the spiritual and cultural qualities of Puerto Rico.