Artwork
Lamentation of Christ (after Raphael)
Lamentation of Christ (after Raphael) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Pieter Coecke van Aelst. It dates from 1540 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Lamentation of Christ, a religious subject drawn from the Gospel accounts of the mourning over Christ's body after the Crucifixion.
The painting depicts the Lamentation of Christ, a religious subject drawn from the Gospel accounts of the mourning over Christ's body after the Crucifixion. The work is classified as religious art and portrays Jesus Christ as its central figure, focusing on the moment of grief and devotion surrounding his deposition from the cross.
As a copy after Raphael, the composition carries forward the iconographic traditions established by the Italian Renaissance master, in which the Virgin Mary, the holy women, and Saint John are typically gathered around the dead Christ to express sorrow and reverence. Pieter Coecke van Aelst's 1540 oil-on-oak panel translates this devotional subject into a Northern European context, preserving the spiritual meaning of the Lamentation as a meditation on sacrifice, mourning, and redemption.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on oak panel, reflecting the conventions of 16th-century religious art. Its composition follows the stylized narrative intensity characteristic of Raphael’s influence, with a focus on the emotional gravity of the Lamentation. The surface bears the typical handling marks of panel painting, including subtle cracks and pigment stratification consistent with age and environmental exposure.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Lamentation of Christ (after Raphael) was created in 1540 by the artist Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Executed in oil paint on an oak panel, the work measures 34.4 cm in height and 22.5 cm in width. This religious piece is currently held within the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek.
The Lamentation of Christ (after Raphael) is housed in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It bears the inventory number 2760. The work has been part of several exhibitions, including the 1958 Munich exhibition of Renaissance masterpieces and a 2003 retrospective of Pieter Coecke van Aelst at the same institution.
Overview
Lamentation of Christ (after Raphael) is an oil painting by Pieter Coecke van Aelst, created in 1540. It is a representation of a pivotal Christian scene and is currently housed at the Alte Pinakothek.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Coecke van Aelst or Pieter Coecke van Aelst the Elder was a Flemish painter, sculptor, architect, author and designer of woodcuts, goldsmith's work, stained glass and tapestries.
The Temptations of Saint Anthony Abbot
The Adoration of the Magi
Saint John the Evangelist with Two Ladies and Two Girls (front). Saint Hadrian (reverse)
The Last Supper
Last Supper
Adoration of the Magi
Triptych with the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi and the Nativity with Angels and Shepherds
Christ bearing the cross
