The Entombment (Deposition), c.1602/04 Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610)

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We will add 1.6" (4 cm) additional blank canvas all over the painting for stretching.

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Painting reproduction is a high quality expensive product, which we cannot risk to damage by sending it being stretched.
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Caravaggio’s depiction conveys a moment of profound solemnity and human weight. The figure of Christ, portrayed with an almost marble pallor, is carried by Nicodemus and John, their arms straining under the body’s heaviness. A trio of women hovers behind - Mary Magdalene, the Virgin, and Mary of Cleophas, whose uplifted arms underscore the emotional intensity. The stone slab, destined to seal the sepulchre, appears at the lower edge, anchoring the composition while foreshadowing the events to come. Each gesture - from the men’s bowed heads to the women’s clasped hands - resonates with palpable tension, encouraging the viewer to sense both physical and spiritual burden.

A striking contrast between shadow and light underscores the scene’s intimacy, a hallmark of Caravaggio’s approach to color. Darkness envelops the background, nearly absorbing the mourners, while a shaft of light catches Christ’s torso and limbs, lending them a stark clarity. The tonal gradations veer from almost velvety blacks to milky whites in the drapery, allowing secondary hues - muted reds, greens, and browns - to emerge with subdued vibrancy. By confining luminescence to select areas, the viewer’s focus settles directly on the central act of entombment, heightening both drama and immediacy.

Caravaggio’s brushwork, rendered with a meticulous yet unembellished directness, mirrors his revolutionary spirit. He dispensed with decorative flourishes and instead layered paint economically, lending solidity to the figures. The transitions between light and dark occur abruptly, emphasizing the physical reality of the scene. This intense chiaroscuro, though seemingly spontaneous, is masterfully calculated. Subtle highlights - along a forearm or across a tear-stained cheek - lend dimensionality and a raw sense of presence, signifying his devotion to painting life as it is, rather than as an idealized vision.

The composition is triangular in essence, with the slant of Christ’s body drawing the eye down toward the stone slab, and then back up through Mary of Cleophas’s arms. This cyclical movement holds the viewer within the frame, generating a sense of continuous engagement. Additionally, the placement of each onlooker forms a silent, concentric ring around Christ, reinforcing the gravity of this moment while avoiding any unnecessary adornment. The immediate proximity of the figures enhances the painting’s intimacy, transforming a biblical narrative into a vivid, tangible experience.

Created during Caravaggio’s Roman years, this work reflects the shift away from the idealized styles of previous generations. Commissioned for a family chapel and later passing through tumultuous historical events before returning to the papal collection, it testifies to the changing currents of early 17th-century art. In an era poised between Renaissance grace and Baroque theatricality, Caravaggio’s unflinching depiction of life and mortality introduced a realist intensity that continues to stir the viewer’s emotions and invite reflective contemplation.