Joseph of Arimathea in front of Pilate

[Phidippides]

If you enjoy 16th century northern Renaissance paintings, here's something that looks like a book illumination showing Joseph of Arimathea asking Pilate to hand over Christ for burial.

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=4325

I find it interesting because it's a subject that I do not believe is very common in Renaissance art, it shows the figures in a typically-contemporary setting within Bruges, and Pilate's outfit is distinctively un-Roman.  I would be interested in hearing about why Pilate was depicted like this.