The Dead Christ in the Tomb

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, *The Dead Christ in the* is a poignant 16th-century Italian artwork by an unknown artist. This intimate glass-painted panel, measuring just 5 1/8 × 3 1/8 inches, captures the solemn moment after Christ's crucifixion, with his lifeless body laid in the tomb, likely attended by mourning angels—a common motif in Renaissance religious art symbolizing sacrifice, death, and redemption. Crafted in the rare technique of *verre églomisé*, the piece features designs painted in reverse on the back of glass, often layered...