Description
The Entombment of Christ , painted around 1602–1603 for Girolamo Vittrice, depicts Christ's body being carried towards the tomb. Nicodemus and Saint John support the dead Christ above the Stone of Anointing while the accompanying women express different forms of grief. Caravaggio organizes the figures through a powerful downward movement.
From the raised arms of Mary of Clopas, the composition descends through the group towards Christ's lifeless body and finally to the massive stone projecting into the viewer's space. Christ's body is rendered with uncompromising naturalism, his arm hanging lifelessly towards the stone. Monumental figures and dramatic contrasts of light and darkness make the painting one of Caravaggio's most solemn religious compositions. The figures are arranged through a progression of gestures and emotions.
