Artwork
The Lamentation over the Dead Christ (after Poussin)
The Lamentation over the Dead Christ (after Poussin) is a print by Leon Kossoff. It dates from 1998 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
He often worked from Old Masters—here, Poussin’s Lamentation—stripping away hues to study form.
Leon Kossoff’s 1998 print reimagines a classic scene in stark black and white. The work is an etching after Poussin, not a copy but a fresh look. Like his other prints, it grew from constant redrawing and reworking.
Printmaking let Kossoff focus on line instead of color. He often worked from Old Masters—here, Poussin’s Lamentation—stripping away hues to study form. His proofs show endless tweaking, even after prints were done.
He shared this drive with artists like Auerbach and Freud. See more of Kossoff’s prints at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Leon Kossoff's 1998 etching reinterprets a classic scene in monochrome. The print is based on Poussin's Lamentation over the Dead Christ, reworked in a fresh, non-replicative manner.
Technique & Style
Kossoff's printmaking process focused on line, allowing him to dissect the composition and study its underlying form. The numerous surviving proof states demonstrate his iterative approach, with constant revisions even after initial editions were printed.
Subject & Meaning
By stripping away color, Kossoff aimed to understand the original work's underlying structure and the artist's intentions. His etchings after Old Masters, including Poussin, were an exploration rather than a replication.
History & Provenance
The print was developed in collaboration with Ann Dowker and later printed and editioned by Marc Balakjian of Studio Prints. It is part of Kossoff's series of etchings after Old Masters, created in 1998.
Artist & collection
Artist
Leon Kossoff (10 December 1926 – 4 July 2019) was a British figurative painter known for portraits, life drawings and cityscapes of London, England.
