The Descent from the Cross
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 21 1/4 × 15 3/8 in. (53.9 × 39 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1961
Accession Number
61.532.37
Art Historical Context
This engraving captures the poignant moment of Christ's descent from the cross, a subject rich in emotional and devotional power. Created between 1550 and 1600, it reproduces a celebrated composition by the Italian Mannerist painter Daniele da Volterra (also known as Daniele Ricciarelli), whose original fresco in Rome's Trinità dei Monti church drew inspiration from Michelangelo's dynamic figural style. The print, executed by engraver Giovanni Battista Cavalieri, translates the painting's dramatic poses and sculptural forms into fine linear detail, allowing a wider audience to experience the w...
About the Artist
Giovanni Battista Cavalieri|Daniele da Volterra (Daniele Ricciarelli) · 1515–1601
Known for repertories of engravings that eflect the antiquarian interests of his patrons, who were the high clergy of the Counter-Reformation Church in Rome.