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German, after Martin Schongauer, 'The Entombment', about 1550

About the work

Christ’s dead body is lowered gently into his tomb. Mary Magdalene and two other women mourn him; Saint John the Evangelist, who was present at the Crucifixion, kneels beside the Virgin Mary, his back to the viewer. The other men are Joseph of Arimathea, who offered his family tomb for the burial, and Nicodemus, who helped remove Christ’s body from the Cross, a moment depicted in the distance to the right.

This picture was painted over the top of an engraving by the German artist Martin Schongauer. Made about 50 years after his death, it was an efficient way of creating a painting after one of his compositions. Schongauer played an important role in the development of engraving as an art form.

Key facts

Full title
The Entombment
Artist
German, after Martin Schongauer
Artist dates
active 1469; died 1491
Date made
about 1550
Medium and support
oil on paper, mounted on wood
Dimensions
17.5 × 12.1 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1883
Inventory number
NG1151
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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