The Entombment, from Speculum passionis domini nostri Ihesu Christi

Art Historical Context

In the early 16th century, Northern Renaissance art flourished in Germany, Hans Schäufelein, a talented pupil of Albrecht Dürer, created this poignant woodcut for *Speculum passionis domini nostri Ihesu Christi (Mirror of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ), authored by Ulrich Pinder and printed Friedrich Peypus in 1507. Titled *The Entombment*, it the solemn moment after Christ's crucifixion, with the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, andners tenderly preparing his body for burial—a scene rich in emotional depth and devotional fervor, central to late medieval piety. Woodcuts like this one were revolutionary for their time, allowing intricate black-line illustrations to be mass-produced in books, making sacred imagery accessible to the faithful beyond elite circles. Schäufele's precise, expressive style, influenced by Dürer's mastery of the medium, conveys grief through flowing drapery, dynamic poses, and subtle shading achieved via cross-hatching. At just 9 3/8 × 6 1/2 inches, its intimate scale suited personal prayer books, fostering private meditation on Christ's suffering. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Junius S. Morgan, 1919), this print exemplifies how art bridged theology and everyday devotion during the cusp of the Reformation, inviting viewers to reflect on sacrifice and redemption.

About the Artist

Hans Schäufelein|Ulrich Pinder|Friedrich Peypus · 1480–1540

Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480–c. 1540) was a German painter and graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance whose career placed him at the heart of one of the most dynamic artistic environments in European history. As a young man, he entered the workshop of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg, an experience that proved decisive: Dürer's meticulous approach to draughtsmanship, his mastery of printmaking, and hi...