Friday Bottom #37

I was at home with the plasterer today so I didn't get to the V&A. However, I've wondered for a while the identity of this mysterious man in white briefs. He's present at, though completely ignoring, Christ's baptism by John the B. You can just imagine his mates down the pub later:

"Dude! Did you see what was happening down by the river today?"
"Yeah! I was baptised just after some guy."
"That wasn't 'some guy', dude! That was Jesus!"
"The Mexican drug dealer?"
"No, you fool. Christ. It was Christ."
"Oh right. Well, I didn't really see anything."
"Why's that?"
"I was taking my robe off and my ears got stuck."
"Were you wearing white pants?"
"Oh yeah!"
"That'll be fine then."

This detail is taken from Piero della Francesca's famous altarpiece, The Baptism of Christ (1450s). The full version can be seen here.