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Perugino (Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci)
Italian, c. 1450–1523
Dead Christ with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (Sepulcrum Christi)
c. 1494–98
Joseph of Arimathea looks on contemplatively as a tearful Nicodemus supports Christ’s lifeless body on a stone tomb, which is inscribed in Latin with the artist’s name and the work’s subject, “sepulcher of Christ.” The painting may originally have been positioned above an altar in a private chapel, where its somber mood was meant to encourage devotion and prayer. Despite his bloody wounds, Christ is depicted with an idealized body, like that of a classical statue, and a serene expression, suggesting his eventual triumph over death.
Image Caption
Perugino (Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci), Dead Christ with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (Sepulcrum Christi), c. 1494–98, oil possibly with tempera on panel, transferred to fabric on panel. Clark Art Institute, 1955.947
Medium
oil possibly with tempera on panel, transferred to fabric on panel
Dimensions
36 7/16 x 28 1/4 in. (92.6 x 71.8 cm)
Frame: 48 3/4 x 41 x 4 in. (123.8 x 104.1 x 10.2 cm)
Object Number
1955.947
Acquisition
Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955
Status
Off View
Select Bibliography
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