Artwork
The Passion: Descent into Limbo
The Passion: Descent into Limbo is a print by the Renaissance artist Lucas van Leyden. It dates from 1521 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Passion: Descent into Limbo is a 1521 engraving by Lucas van Leyden, a prominent Dutch printmaker. The black-and-white print depicts a dramatic scene with a central figure surrounded by others.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving illustrates Christ's descent into Limbo, a scene in which he frees the souls of the righteous before his resurrection. The bearded central figure, holding a spear and seated on a rock, is likely Christ.
Technique & Style
Van Leyden's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth, with light from above highlighting the central figure's face and contrasting with the dark, swirling background. His precise linework and attention to narrative detail demonstrate his skill as an engraver.
History & Provenance
Created in 1521, the engraving reflects van Leyden's influence on early 16th-century printmaking. As a leading Dutch artist, he was known for his genre scenes and technical mastery of engraving.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
Salome with the head of St John the Baptist
The Virgin and Child
Worship of the Golden Calf
A Game of Chess
Mary with Child, St. Maria Magdalena and founder (separate outside, Inv. No. 7713)
Inner left wing of a diptych with Christ as the Man of Sorrows
Inner right wing of a diptych with the Virgin as Mater Dolorosa
Annunciation
