The Entombment of Christ by Luisa Roldán (Interpretation and Analysis)

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The Entombment of Christ by Luisa Roldán
The Entombment of Christ
Source: The MET
The Entombment of Christ by Luisa Roldán
The Entombment of Christ
Source: The MET
 I recently encountered this sculpture on the MET’s Instagram account (which is a great account to follow if you’re interested in art); I found it to be really striking, so I want to chat about it a bit today.

As the title suggests, the sculpture depicts Christ being laid to rest after the crucifixion. The body is surrounded by mourners and disciples, including a female figure—probably representative of Mary Magdalene—who bows her head over Christ’s stigmata. Luisa Roldán’s execution of the theme marks her as a skilled and experienced artist. Every detail—from the wounds on Christ’s body to the folds of cloth—is depicted with careful precision, an impressive feat given that the sculpture is only about two feet long. It is profoundly beautiful and, simply, breathtaking.

To modern eyes, the sculpture might appear garish. However, it’s important to remember that contemporary viewers would expect such a piece to be vivid and dramatic. In the wake of the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic church attempted to revitalize itself with the Counter-Reformation. Part of this movement involved a shift in Catholic art and iconography.

Art of the Counter-Reformation sought to elevate the emotions of the viewer with the goal of creating an affective connection between the worshipper and their religion. Pieces like The Entombment of Christ were created to inspire devotion and facilitate meditations on the suffering and death of Christ.

This movement in art goes hand in hand with the rise of the Baroque style, which represents a rejection of the staid and dignified attitudes of Renaissance art. In contrast, pieces like The Entombment of Christ harness the full range of human emotion to convey its message.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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