The Entombment of Christ Sculptor of Meuse Valley

Carved from a single piece of wood, the relief depicts Christ’s placement in the tomb, a scene from the Gospels that became very popular among artists in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Gospel accounts only mention Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus as having been present during the entombment. On the relief, these two men are depicted – in accordance with the customary arrangement of such portrayals – to the left and right of the body of Christ lying on a sheet. It was the custom, however, for others to be added to the scene, namely John the Apostle, the Virgin Mary, and the three Holy Women – all of whom had remained with Jesus until his death on the cross. The relief depicts a holy woman in the background and, on the right, Mary Magdalene, who is holding a jar of ointment. Between the two of them stands the Virgin Mary, while John the Apostle can be seen at the back in a blue cloak.