Descent from the Cross
Unknown Artist
ca. 1475–1500
Medium
Fruitwood with paint
Dimensions
Overall: 22 5/8 x 13 3/16 x 6 1/4 in. (57.5 x 33.5 x 15.9 cm) with base: 23 5/8 x 13 3/4 x 6 1/4 in. (60 x 35 x 15.9 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Wood
Culture
South Netherlandish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1916
Accession Number
16.32.217
Tags
Art Historical Context
This poignant *Descent from the Cross*, in fruitwood and vividly painted around 1475–1500 by an unknown South Netherlandish, captures a pivotal moment from Christ's Passion: the tender lowering of his body from the cross after the Crucifixion. Measuring about 23 inches tall, the sculpture features the lifeless Christ supported by figures including the sorrowful Virgin Mary and Mary, their expressive faces and draped robes conveying profound grief and devotion. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art department, it entered the collection as a gift from J. Pierpont Morgan in 1916...