The Soldiers Divide Jesus’ Garments

Beside the digger who is preparing the hole to plant the cross of the bad thief, crouched in the darkness within a recess in the rock, are three soldiers: the first dressed in gleaming armor, the second in a pinkish garment, and the third hidden by the first two as they throw the dice.

The meager spoil they hope to obtain by casting lots is Jesus' tunic. It was customary for the personal effects of those condemned to death to be divided among the soldiers, but since the tunic was seamless and thus a valuable garment, it is gambled for. The episode recounted by John once again alludes to the fulfillment of the prophecies and aims to emphasize the messianic character of Jesus.

The great spectacle masterfully orchestrated by Tintoretto evokes the turmoil of passions and souls at the tragic moment of the Savior's imminent death through a dynamic composition arranged in groups of figures. The dramatic staging contributes to a hyperbolic use of light, in the contrast between the leaden sky and the surreal whiteness of the marble plane, which seems to reflect the luminous aura emanating from Christ.

The petty aims of the soldiers who gamble with dice to seize the tunic require a hollow, a dark space in which to take refuge. In the figure depicted from behind, leaning on the base and wearing a plum-colored garment, we must instead recognize the self-portrait of Tintoretto himself, who in silent contemplation and sorrowful participation lifts his gaze toward the Crucified. Beside him stands the symbol of hope and renewal emerging from the rock: a green shrub, a well-established metaphor of the Resurrection.

Crocifissione - Tintoretto, particolare

The Soldiers Divide Jesus’ Garments – Tintoretto

Longino e la lancia che trafisse il costato di Gesù