The descent from the cross: second plate

About this artwork

signature, date and inscription

Art Historical Context

Johann Jacob Hertel's *The Descent from the Cross Second Plate* (1761) captures a pivotal moment from the Passion of Christ, depicting the careful lowering of Jesus' body from the cross—a scene rich in emotion and devotion central to Christian iconography. As a German engraver based in Augsburg, Hertel specialized in reproductive prints during the Rococo era, blending intricate detail with dramatic light and shadow to evoke piety and pathos. This etching, measuring 519 mm high by 408 mm wide, likely reproduces a painting by a contemporary master, continuing a long tradition of such scenes popu...