The Burial of Christ
Medium
Oil on copper
Dimensions
17 1/4 x 13 3/4 in. (43.8 x 34.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Edwin L. Weisl Jr. Gift, 1998
Accession Number
1998.188
Tags
Art Historical Context
Annibale Carracci's *The Burial of Christ* (1595) captures a poignant moment from the Passion of Christ: the entombment, where Christ's body is tenderly laid to rest after the Crucifixion. Painted in oil on copper—a rare and innovative medium for the time—this small-scale work (17¼ × 13¾ in.) allowed Carracci to achieve extraordinary luminosity and jewel-like detail, evoking devotional intimacy of a private altar piece. Tags like "Sadness," "Mary Magdalene and "Entombment" highlight the emotional core, with the grieving Magdalene likely featured prominently, her sorrow amplifying the scene's d...
About the Artist
Annibale Carracci · 1560–1609
Annibale was considered one of the greatest Italian painters of his age. His style is marked by naturalism combined with the formal language of Classicism in a grand and monumental style. Annibale was also instrumental in evolving the ideal, classical landscape and is generally credited with the invention of caricature. Italian painter. Comment on works: Mythology.