The Entombment

Parmigianino employed etching to outline forms and drypoint to deepen shadows and add tactile texture. The fine, meandering lines capture the drapery’s folds and the softness of skin, while the drypoint’s burr creates velvety blacks that enhance emotional depth. His elongated figures and refined contours align with Mannerist ideals, prioritizing elegance and expressive distortion over naturalism.

The print was made during Parmigianino’s time in Rome, where he was influenced by classical sculpture and the works of Raphael. Few impressions survive from the original plate, and those that do are held in major museum collections. Its rarity and technical sophistication suggest it was produced in limited numbers, likely for collectors and connoisseurs rather than mass distribution.

In the 1520s and 1530s, Italian artists increasingly turned to printmaking as a means of disseminating their designs. Parmigianino’s prints, including this one, circulated widely among artists and patrons, helping to spread his distinctive Mannerist style. His work stood apart from the more robust engravings of his contemporaries, favoring lyrical precision over monumental force.

Parmigianino’s *The Entombment* influenced later printmakers through its integration of painterly sensitivity into graphic form. Its delicate handling of line and emotion became a model for artists exploring the expressive potential of etching. Though less known than his paintings, the print remains a key example of how Mannerist aesthetics translated effectively into the medium of print.