Entombment of Christ
Original title: Entombment of Christ, whose chest is grasped by Joseph of Arimathea, with two kneeling and two standing female mourners at left and crown of thorns at bottom right
kurzbeschreibung
Enea Vico engraved the Entombment of Christ in copper in 1543. The print shows the dead Christ, mourning women, and Joseph of Arimathea; Raphael's invention served as the model.
Description
Christ has taken a seat on a bench, his upper body bare, a cloth draped over his legs. His face is calm, his arms resting on his knee. Four female figures in mourning garments kneel and sit to the left, one of them holding a flower. From the right, a short-haired, curly-headed man leans down toward Christ. A rock wall with trees and bushes closes off the back, and a crown of thorns lies on the ground at the lower right.
Context
The sheet was made in Italy in 1543, in the midst of the High Renaissance. Vico counted among the important copper engravers of his time and worked from designs by recognized masters. The invention is Raphael's, as the inscription 'Raphael Urb. Inv.' indicates. Antonio Salamanca, a well-known Roman printer and publisher, issued the engraving.
Impact
The layout is devout and still; the figures' lament remains composed and dignified. Because the lines are drawn with such precision, the print looks clear and almost like a drawing.
Technique
The lines were incised into a copper plate and then printed. This method allows fine details and reproduces the model faithfully. The sheet measures 29.8 x 20.5 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)