Other Contexts
The principal group of the Instruments appear in other contexts as well. The lance and sponge on a stick are held as though they are standards or weapons by the archangels flanking the throne of Christ in a 6th century mosaic from Ravenna (now Belin), and are often shown in this way thereafter, especially in scenes of the Last Judgement. In Eastern Orthodox art they are often on or around the Hetoimasia or "empty throne" of judgement. The Crown of Thorns sometimes hangs alone on the cross; it has been suggested that the Celtic cross originated from this motif. The minor Instruments generally did not developed a sufficient ability to be recognised and understood in this way, and appear only in groups.
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Lorenzo Monaco, 1404
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Crown of thorns and nails of crucifixion on heraldic shield
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19th century Russian icon, using the style of the West
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Late 15th-century heraldic shield
Read more about this topic: Arma Christi
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