This piece was made to match another picture I made of the Pieta, or the Lamentation over the dead Christ. I've always had an affinity for the Passion of our Lord and Passionist literature, and I wanted to honor our Lord in this particular way. Saint Longinus is a personal patron of mine, and when I first started this piece it was initially a self portrait. As I worked on it more it became less and less recognizeable, but it was the thought to me that counted more than anything. Longinus is the name traditionally given to the centurion who pierced our Lord's side on the Cross. The legend goes that Longinus was going blind, and after thrusting the lance into His side, whether literally or figuratively, the blood of Christ fell on his eyes and he was healed. He was later martyred for his faith--the Roman soldiers who were once his companions cut out his tongue and plucked out the eyes that had been healed by our Lord. He was famous for his preaching and his zeal for destroying Pagan idols. This piece is 14x17 inches on vellum bristol paper, and the ink of choice was Noodler's "Whaleman's Sepia" in a gold-nibbed Pilot E-95s.
