Christ in Limbo, after Raphael (1541, Met-Objekt 6037)
Original title: Christ in Limbo, after Raphael
kurzbeschreibung
Nicolas Beatrizet made this print in 1541. It depicts Christ in Limbo, where he redeems the souls of the righteous. The work goes back to an invention by Raphael and survives here in the third of three states. The upright format measures 28.5 by 17.6 centimetres.
Description
Christ stands in plain robes before a rocky cave, a cross-staff in his hand. His right arm reaches out to a kneeling figure, who is surrounded by others at prayer and on their knees. At the right, a single person turns their back to the viewer and faces the event. Fine hatching picks up the texture of the rock and the movements of the bodies. At the bottom are engraved the initials and the date 1541.
Context
Raphael's painting for the church of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome provided the model. The French engraver Nicolas Beatrizet, working in Rome, produced this reproductive print in 1541. It makes plain how strongly the city's Renaissance art scene shaped printmaking at the time. Three states were printed; this impression is the third.
Impact
A dramatic, emotional mood runs through the image and keeps the redemption of the souls at its heart. The careful handling of the burin yields fine detail that draws the eye into the scene. With no colour to distract, everything rests on the figures and their gestures.
Technique
Engraving, an intaglio process in which lines are cut into a metal plate, allows the fine hatching and precise detail seen here. This impression is the third of three states, which points to reworking of the plate.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)