The Entombment
early 16th century
Medium
Oak
Dimensions
Overall: 21 7/8 x 18 1/8 x 5 5/16 in. (55.6 x 46 x 13.5 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
16.32.221
Tags
Art Historical Context
**The Entombment**, a poignant wooden sculpture from the School of Antwerp, captures a sacred moment from the Passion of Christ in the early 16th. Crafted in oak by South Netherlandish, this intimate work—measuring 21⅞ × 18⅛ × 5⅜ inches—depicts the holy figures lowering Jesus's body into the tomb, with the Virgin Mary and male attendants, likely including Joseph of Arimathea and Saint John, gathered in solemn grief. The School of Antwerp, flourishing in the Renaissance-era Low Countries, was renowned for its expressive religious sculptures that bridged late Gothic traditions with emerging Nort...