There is a type of altarpiece decoration that seems very perplexing to people when they first see one. It’s a type that tries to concentrate many items and events surrounding Christ’s passion and crucifixion in a sort of visual shorthand. Here’s an example of part of one of them. You’ll note the many disembodied hands and objects. On the far left Pilate washes his hands of Christ, to the right of that Judas betrays Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane with a kiss. To the right of that Judas’ hand receives the coins in payment for his betrayal, while above center Judas hangs himself. There’s St Peter’s hand cutting off the ear of the Roman soldier, and other gestures of punishment and taunting. It’s a very effective but bizarre sort of image. Of course, even the panel with the letters INRI are part of the taunting. A Roman soldier has put it on the cross to mock Christ. The letters stand for Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (“Jesus King of the Jews”).