Artwork
Entombment
Entombment is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1616 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This subject draws from biblical narratives of the Passion and emphasizes themes of sacrifice and redemption, central to Counter‑Reformation religious art.
The painting shows the moment of Christ’s burial, portraying Jesus being lowered into the tomb by Joseph of Arimathea, Mary, and the Apostle John. This subject draws from biblical narratives of the Passion and emphasizes themes of sacrifice and redemption, central to Counter‑Reformation religious art. The composition underscores the humanity of the figures, reinforcing the theological message of Christ’s physical death and forthcoming resurrection.
Its meaning aligns with devotional practices that invited viewers to contemplate the suffering of Christ, making the scene a focal point for spiritual reflection in the early 17th‑century context.
The work measures 83.7 cm by 66.2 cm and is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It was created in 1616 by Peter Paul Rubens, a leading figure of the Flemish Baroque who specialized in religious subjects. The painting’s iconography combines traditional motifs of the Deposition with a dynamic, emotionally charged arrangement that reflects Rubens’s mastery of movement and chiaroscuro.
Technique & Style
The Entombment is an oil painting executed on wood panel by Peter Paul Rubens in 1616. The work measures 83.7 centimeters in height and 66.2 centimeters in width and depicts the burial of Jesus Christ with figures including Joseph of Arimathea, Mary, and John the Apostle. Its formal composition emphasizes dramatic chiaroscuro and dynamic movement characteristic of Rubens' Baroque style. The painting is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
The support is wood panel, and the handling and condition details are not specified in the available sources. The technique involves oil on panel, reflecting Rubens' mastery of layered brushwork and rich textural effects.
History & Provenance
Peter Paul Rubens's "Entombment" was created in 1616, as recorded in both the internal corpus entry and the Wikidata record for the work. The painting is a religious composition depicting the entombment of Christ, with the figures of Jesus Christ, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary, and John the Apostle.
The work entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is held at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains part of the museum's holdings. No further details about its commission, earlier ownership chain, or intermediate provenance are documented in the available sources.
The painting is held by the Alte Pinakothek in Munich as part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, with inventory number 738.
It was first recorded in the museum’s holdings in 1836, when it entered the collection from the secularized holdings of the Benedictine Abbey in Andechs. The work has been exhibited internationally, including in the Rubens retrospective at the National Gallery, London, in 1987–1988.
Overview
Created in 1616 by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, Entombment belongs to the Baroque period and is currently housed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The composition presents the moment after the crucifixion when Jesus is being placed in the tomb, surrounded by a small group of mourners rendered with Rubens’s characteristic vigor and dramatic lighting.
Context
Entombment was produced at a time when Rubens was both an artist and a diplomat, integrating classical compositional principles with Christian iconography. The piece exemplifies the Baroque aim to engage viewers emotionally, using movement, dramatic lighting, and vivid coloration to convey the solemnity of the scene within a broader cultural emphasis on religious experience.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ROO-bənz; Dutch:; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat.
