Master of the Saint Bartholomew Altarpiece, 'The Deposition', about 1500-5

The removal of Christ’s body from the Cross takes place in what appears to be a shallow gilded niche. The solid background offers no respite from the horror of Christ’s pale and emaciated dead body, his bloodied forehead and wounds, and the intense grief of his family and companions. The setting, with its stiff geometric decoration around the arch, may be intended to resemble contemporary carved tabernacles, which included this kind of elaborate tracery and contained sculpted figures within.

The effort required to manipulate a body stiff with rigor mortis is emphasised by the awkwardness of the poses of the two men on the ladder. A nimble boy at the very top attempts to support Christ’s weight while clinging on to the arm of the Cross, hooking one ankle over it to prevent himself from falling headlong. Joseph of Arimathea, who had offered up his family tomb for Christ, supports his upper body; the movement of his cloak, which unfurls in an improbable cascade, expresses the energy of the feat. Christ’s corpse is finally gathered by Nicodemus, the elderly Pharisee, who, according to the Gospels, believed that Christ was the Son of God.

The mourners are shown weeping, the teardrops glistening on their cheeks. The Virgin Mary’s knees have given way beneath her and she is slumped on the ground, supported by Saint John the Evangelist, the figure with wild hair in the red cloak. Mary Magdalene clasps a tense, bony hand to her head in shock and grief. She too is barely able to stand. Her attribute – a pot of ointment with which she anointed Christ’s feet in recognition of his divinity (Luke 7: 36–50; John 12: 1–8) – is at the foot of the Cross. The episode was regarded as foretelling Christ’s death, as ointment was also used for corpses. A skull lies next to it, a reminder that the place where Christ was crucified was called Golgotha, meaning the place of the skull; this was where, according to tradition, Adam was buried. Christ, known as the second Adam, had come to redeem mankind from Adam’s sin through his resurrection.

Viewers of this panel, which was probably made for use in private worship (though we cannot be sure), would have been certain of Christ’s resurrection even though this intense painting presents an unflinching depiction of the horror and sorrow of his death.