The Entombment of Christ – Late 15th century Brabant, Brussels?

The Entombment of Christ

Small wooden sculpture – 15th Century - depicting a group of figures laying Christ in the tomb.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are placing the body of Christ, lying on a shroud, into a sarcophagus positioned diagonally to the right.

Mary stands silently mourning behind the tomb, whilst Mary Magdalene kneels in front of it. At the back stands a female figure, who turns away in her grief and dries her tears with a cloth.

The influence of painting is evident in the composition of the sculpture, particularly that of Rogier van der Weyden.

This sculpture was exhibited during the exhibition ‘In gotischer Gesellschaft’ at the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum in Aachen in 1998.

Remnants of original polychrome, with new gilding and overpainting.
Presumably made in Brabant (Brussels) – although no symbol (hammer) is present.

Provenance: H. Goldschmidt Collection
Published: In Gotischer Gesellschaft – Die Sammlung Goldschmidt – Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum Aachen – pp. 40–41