The Body of Christ

About this work

This etching shows Christ’s dead body laid out after the crucifixion. The paper looks old and thin, with rough edges where it was cut. Gray ink covers the whole sheet, except where light hits Christ’s side and hand. The artist’s lines are soft but clear, not sharp like a knife. It’s one of three known prints by Diamantini of this scene. He made them late in life, when his eyes weren’t what they used to be. The shading is done by drypoint, a way of scratching lines into a metal plate. The scratches hold ink and print as darker spots. If you like this style, look up Rembrandt van Rijn’s etchings.