Above the cross there are representations of the Sun and the Moon depicted in their

interior. There is an angel holding a incense burner on the left of Christ, and there should

be another one on the right but the damage to the fresco is too extensive. Flanking Christ

at either side is Longinus piercing Christ' s side and Stephanus, the sponge bearer. The

Virgin Mary is located on the right of Christ and Saint John is located on the left, both of

them wearing halos. The main iconographical differences between this cycle and the

Cycle of the Life and Passion of Christ in the Bible of Avila are the presence of the

angels, the Sun and the Moon, and the halos on the Virgin Mary and Saint John, elements

that are not present on the Crucifixion of the Bible ofAvila. In addition, the Bible ofAvila

also has the good thief and the bad thief with the two soldiers making ready to break their

legs. In terms of composition, Longinus and Stephanon are underneath the cross and are

smaller than the Virgin Mary and St. John. On the other hand, the latter are not

underneath the cross, like they are in the Bible ofAvila. The cross in both examples has

been outlined. Christ also has the locks of hair resting on His shoulders, but there is no

hierarchy of size since the Virgin Mary and John are larger than Christ on the cross.

Therefore, it is evident that there is some iconographic connection, but the style is

different on close examination of both works.

 The next scene on folio CCCXXIIII r is the Deposition (Fig. 52).173 In the history

of manuscript illumination the Bible ofAvila offers the only example of the Deposition of


173 As pointed out in Chapter 2, there is a conflation of two episodes in the registers
representing the Deposition of Christ. The Suicide of Judas is being represented
alongside the Deposition. Nevertheless, besides the example already mentioned in
Chapter 2 (an ivory panel depicting the Crucifixion and the suicide of Judas from Rome
or southern Gaul from 420-430, currently located in the British Museum, London. See
F.W. Volbach, Early Christian~it~i~it~itit~it Art, London, 1961, Plate 98) there are no other
iconographical sources known to this author.