Artwork
The Entombment of Christ
The Entombment of Christ is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Lucio Massari. It dates from 1611 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Overview
Lucio Massari’s oil painting, titled *The Entombment of Christ*, dates to roughly 1611. Executed during the shift from late Mannerist conventions toward early Baroque sensibilities, the work portrays the burial of Jesus with a restrained yet emotionally charged composition. It is presently housed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas captures three mournful figures bearing the lifeless body of Christ toward a tomb, the corpse swathed in a stark white shroud. Their dark, flowing garments and downcast expressions convey the gravity of the moment, while the tranquil landscape beyond hints at the world’s continuation beyond the crucifixion.
Technique & Style
Massari employs oil on canvas to achieve deep, layered coloration, allowing the dark robes to recede into shadow and the white linen to glow. Subtle chiaroscuro models the figures, creating a sense of three‑dimensional space, while the muted palette and softened edges reflect the transitional aesthetic between Mannerist elegance and Baroque drama.
History & Provenance
Created in Bologna around 1611, the painting reflects the artist’s affiliation with the local school that emphasized academic drawing and religious narrative. After passing through private collections, it entered the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it remains part of the institution’s early‑17th‑century Italian holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucio Massari (22 January 1569 – 3 November 1633) was an Italian painter of the School of Bologna. He was active during the Mannerist and early-Baroque periods.
