Who painted Three Marys at the Tomb?

Three Marys at the Tomb was painted by Urs Graf I in 1507.

Where can I see Three Marys at the Tomb?

Three Marys at the Tomb is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Three Marys at the Tomb?

Three Marys at the Tomb is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Three Marys at the Tomb

Urs Graf I , 1507

Three Marys at the Tomb is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Urs Graf I. It dates from 1507 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Urs Graf I’s hand‑colored woodcut, Three Marys at the Tomb, dates from 1507. The print depicts a crowded tableau surrounding a tomb, with three women in white garments positioned prominently in the foreground. Around them, kneeling and crouching figures express alarm, while a distant hill and a village with a tower frame the scene.

Subject & Meaning

The central figures are the three women traditionally identified as the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, who have arrived at the tomb early in the morning. Their white attire underscores purity and grief, while the surrounding onlookers’ gestures convey shock and curiosity, suggesting the narrative moment of discovering the empty tomb.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the image relies on fine hatching to model light and shadow, creating depth within the limited tonal range. After printing, Graf applied hand‑coloring in muted pinks, greens, and browns, softening the stark black lines and enhancing the atmospheric quality typical of early 16th‑century Northern European prints.

Context

Graf’s work reflects the burgeoning interest in narrative complexity during the Renaissance, where printmakers began to pack scenes with multiple figures and emotive gestures. The inclusion of a distant village and climbing figures on a hill situates the biblical episode within a recognizable landscape, a common device to bridge sacred stories and contemporary viewers.