Entombment Of Christ

The Entombment of Christ (1603) is a large oil painting created as an altarpiece for the Chiesa Nuova’s chapel of the Pieta by Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio. It was commissioned by Francesco Vittri and apart from the body of Christ, features the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, John the Evangelist, and Nicodemus. The figures inhabit a strikingly shallow space that seemingly extends beyond the picture plane and are depicted using Caravaggio’s signature high contrast light effects to create a visually dynamic and evocative naturalistic scene. At the time of its installment the work was unanimously praised, quite surprisingly as the artist had a tumultuous past when it came to commissions. The Catholic Church was in the midst