Dead Christ Mourned Over by Angels
Medium
Red chalk on light tan paper
Dimensions
7-13/16 x 10-5/8 in. (19.9 x 27 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cephas G. Thompson, 1887
Accession Number
87.12.114
Tags
About this artwork
"Dead Christ Mourned Over by Angels" by Anonymous, Italian, Roman-Bolognese, 17th century, created in 17th century, is executed in red chalk on light tan paper. This drawings belongs to the Metropolitan Museum's Drawings and Prints collection. The work measures 7-13/16 x 10-5/8 in. (19.9 x 27 cm). The artwork entered the museum's collection through gift of cephas g. thompson, 1887.
Art Historical Context
In the hushed intimacy of the 17th-century Italian drawing *Dead Christ Mourned Over by Angels*, an anonymous artist from the Roman-Bolognese school captures a poignant moment of divine sorrow. Executed in red chalk on light tan paper, this modest sheet—measuring just 7-13/16 x 10-5/8 inches—depicts the lifeless body of Christ tenderly enveloped by grieving angels, evoking the profound emotion of the Pietà tradition. Red chalk, prized in Baroque Italy for its warm, fleshy tones and subtle blending, allowed artists to model forms with lifelike tenderness, making this work a likely preparatory s...