Basic Information

Historical Context

A woodcut from Dürer's Large Passion series depicting the Lamentation or Entombment of Christ. This deeply emotional scene shows the Virgin Mary and disciples mourning over the body of the dead Christ. [Visual Identification] Visual Description The dead Christ is shown being placed in a sarcophagus or held by mourners. The Virgin Mary supports Christ's head, her face contorted with grief. Mary Magdalene and other mourners surround the body. The rocky tomb setting creates a dramatic, enclosed space. Artistic Analysis Dürer's Lamentation combines emotional intensity with careful compositional organization. The arrangement of mourners around the central figure of Christ creates a pyramidal structure that draws the eye to the dead Savior. The Virgin's grief provides the emotional focal point.