The Entombment of Christ by Luisa Roldán (Interpretation and Analysis)
The Entombment of Christ Source: The MET 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 woul...