Artwork
The Entombment
The Entombment is a print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Dürer’s 1512 print *The Entombment* presents a compact, monochrome interpretation of the biblical burial of Christ. Executed in the German Renaissance, the work gathers six figures within a dimly lit, rocky setting, emphasizing the solemnity of the moment through stark tonal contrasts.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures the immediate aftermath of the Crucifixion, focusing on the handling of Christ’s body and the reactions of his followers. A kneeling figure lowers the shrouded corpse while surrounding men and women gesture toward the scene, conveying a mixture of reverence, grief, and urgency.
Technique & Style
Dürer employs chiaroscuro to model the forms, using deep blacks against bright whites to suggest volume and texture. The rough stone surfaces and the detailed rendering of facial wrinkles heighten the dramatic tension, a hallmark of Renaissance printmaking that seeks to evoke three‑dimensional space on a flat surface.
History & Provenance
Created during Dürer’s mature period, the print reflects his reputation as a leading printmaker who had already secured patronage from Emperor Maximilian I. It forms part of a broader corpus that includes both engravings and painted altarpieces, illustrating his versatility across media.
Context
In early 16th‑century Europe, religious subjects dominated visual culture, and the Entombment theme offered artists a venue to explore human emotion within sacred narrative. Dürer’s treatment aligns with contemporary trends that favored expressive figures and dramatic lighting to engage viewers in devotional contemplation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
