Descent from the Cross
Medium
etching and aquatint with roulette printed in black on laid paper [proof]
Dimensions
sheet: 60 × 41 cm (23 5/8 × 16 1/8 in.) plate: 57.8 × 41 cm (22 3/4 × 16 1/8 in.) image: 53.1 × 37.4 cm (20 7/8 × 14 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund
Accession Number
2018.91.10
Art Historical Context
This etching and aquatint captures the poignant moment of Christ’s removal from the cross, a subject long revered in Christian art for its emotional depth and themes of sacrifice and redemption. Created around 1762–1763 by François-Philippe Charpentier after an original composition by Carle Van Loo, the print translates the dramatic gestures and tender expressions of the figures into a graphic medium. As a reproductive print, it made Van Loo’s design accessible to a wider audience, reflecting the 18th-century demand for devotional images that could be collected and contemplated in private sett...