1480
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Entombment is a 1480 ink by Martin Schongauer, a Renaissance work, depicting Lamentation of Christ, held at National Gallery of Art.
Martin Schongauer’s engraving shows Christ’s limp body being wrapped in cloth. White linen glows against dark shadows. Sharp lines carve every fold and muscle, making skin look soft. This is an old trick. Engravings print in reverse. Artists carve designs into metal plates, ink them, then press. Schongauer’s lines are so fine they look like shading. See how he uses cross-hatching. Thin lines crisscross to show light and dark. Try it yourself with a pencil.
Martin Schongauer, also known as Martin Schön or Hübsch Martin by his contemporaries, was an Alsatian engraver and painter.
See the richer artist page
