Who painted The Entombment?

The Entombment was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1512.

Where can I see The Entombment?

The Entombment is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Entombment?

The Entombment is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Entombment?

Museum-quality prints of The Entombment are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Entombment

Albrecht Dürer , 1512

The Entombment is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:in plate, bottom right, on base of tomb: 1512 / AD [artist's monogram]; verso, lower right, in graphite by a later hand: 9 [upside down]; verso, bottom left, in graphite by a later hand: NR [?] 25146; verso, bottom center, in graphite by a later hand: B.15
Markings: Marked:none

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a piece of German Renaissance religious art, the print functions as a devotional object, inviting contemplation on the suffering and death of Jesus.

Albrecht Dürer's 1512 engraving depicts the Entombment of Jesus Christ, a pivotal scene from the Passion narrative derived from the New Testament. While the work is titled 'The Entombment,' its iconography is closely linked to the Descent from the Cross, illustrating the moment Christ's body is prepared for burial. As a piece of German Renaissance religious art, the print functions as a devotional object, inviting contemplation on the suffering and death of Jesus.

The composition focuses entirely on the sacred figure of Christ, emphasizing the solemnity of the event without extraneous narrative details.

Technique & Style

Created in 1512, this work is an engraving executed on laid paper. As a print from the German Renaissance, it depicts the Descent from the Cross, a religious subject derived from the New Testament. The composition focuses on Jesus Christ as the central figure within the Passion series.

Surviving impressions are held in major institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Cleveland Museum of Art. The specific dimensions recorded for the sheet are 116 by 75 units.

History & Provenance

Albrecht Dürer created this engraving, titled The Entombment, in 1512 as part of his Passion series. The work depicts the descent of Jesus Christ from the cross, a subject derived from the New Testament.

A documented ownership trail for a specific impression begins with the Brentano-Birckenstock Collection, which held the print in Vienna and Frankfurt. It subsequently entered the collection of Arthur Friederich Theodor Bohnenberger in Stuttgart. In 1928, Lessing J. Rosenwald of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, purchased the work.

Rosenwald later donated the engraving to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1943, where it remains part of the institution's holdings.

The engraving is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., as part of the Rosenwald Collection, accessioned in 1943.

Its exhibition history includes display in the collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Davison Art Center as part of traveling presentations of the Rosenwald Collection.

Context

Albrecht Dürer's The Entombment, created in 1512, stands as a significant work within the German Renaissance movement. As part of the artist's series on the Passion, this engraving interprets the biblical narrative of the Descent from the Cross, reflecting the religious themes central to Dürer's printmaking career. The work's historical importance is underscored by its presence in major public collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Its inclusion in the Rosenwald Collection further highlights its status as a key example of early 16th-century Northern European art.

Overview

The Entombment is an engraving on laid paper created by Albrecht Dürer in 1512.