Artwork
The Descent from the Cross
The Descent from the Cross is an oil painting by the Early Renaissance artist Vicente Macip Comes. It dates from 1501 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its iconography follows traditional representations of the Deposition, focusing on the physical and emotional weight of the body and the surrounding figures.
The painting shows the moment of Christ being lowered from the cross following the crucifixion. It depicts the dead Christ supported by Mary and other figures, a scene drawn from the Gospel narrative of the removal of the body. The composition emphasizes the sorrow of the mourners and the solemnity of the burial, reflecting the ritual of the Descent from the Cross in Spanish devotional practice.
The work is attributed to Vicente Macip Comes and was created in 1501, later entering the collection of Ferdinand VII of Spain and now housed in the Museo del Prado. Its iconography follows traditional representations of the Deposition, focusing on the physical and emotional weight of the body and the surrounding figures.
Technique & Style
The Descent from the Cross is an oil painting executed on panel, reflecting the religious narrative of the Crucifixion aftermath. Measuring 108 cm in height and 98 cm in width, the work was created by Vicente Macip Comes in 1501 and originally belonged to Ferdinand VII of Spain before entering the collection of the Museo del Prado at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. Its composition emphasizes the lowering of Christ’s body, employing chiaroscuro and meticulous detail characteristic of early Spanish Renaissance art.
The painting’s materiality includes oil paint applied to a wooden support, a technique typical of the period that contributes to its textured surface and luminous depth. Formal analysis highlights balanced figures arranged in a pyramidal structure, conveying both emotional gravity and spatial harmony.
The work’s condition has been preserved through careful handling and conservation, maintaining the integrity of its original pigments and support.
History & Provenance
The Descent from the Cross was painted by Vicente Macip Comes in 1501, though a Wikidata entry also suggests a date around 1550. The work is executed in oil paint on panel. It was once owned by Ferdinand VII of Spain.
The painting is now in the collection of the Museo del Prado, with a noted location at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.
The Descent from the Cross by Vicente Macip Comes is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. The work is currently located at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, which serves as a venue for the museum's holdings. Historical records indicate the painting was owned by Ferdinand VII of Spain.
The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the artwork, nor do they list any exhibition history.
Overview
Vicente Macip Comes’ oil painting titled The Descent from the Cross was completed in 1501. Executed in oil on canvas, the work portrays the moment after Christ’s crucifixion, with a group of mourners gathered around his lifeless body. The composition is housed in Madrid’s Museo del Prado, where it remains part of the museum’s early‑Renaissance collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Vicente Macip Comes (1555–1623) was an artist, born in La Font de la Figuera.
