The Entombment is a masterful engraving created by Andrea Mantegna between 1465 and 1470, a seminal work of the Italian Renaissance. Classified as a print, this piece demonstrates the artist’s innovative and rigorous engagement with copperplate engraving, a medium that was fundamentally changing how art was disseminated in 15th-century Italy.
The composition, sometimes referred to as Christ in the Tomb, depicts the poignant moment after the Crucifixion as Christ is being lowered into his sepulcher, surrounded by grieving figures. Mantegna utilized sharp, deeply incised lines and parallel hatching to render the forms with exceptional sculptural clarity, lending the figures a weight and monumentality typical of his style. The work’s dramatic foreshortening and its integration of classical architectural motifs reflect Mantegna’s deep scholarly interest in antiquity, defining the visual characteristics of the Paduan and Venetian schools.
As a printmaker, Mantegna helped elevate the status of the engraving medium, translating the intensity and detail of his large-scale paintings into a portable, reproducible format. This capability was crucial in circulating the artistic ideas of the Renaissance across Europe. The Entombment remains one of the most recognizable and influential Renaissance prints ever produced. This distinguished work is held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Given its historical provenance, images of this work are frequently accessible for study and documentation through public domain resources, ensuring its lasting impact.
Important: ArtBee makes no warranties about the copyright status of this artwork. To the best of our knowledge, based on information from the source museum, we believe this work is in the public domain.
You are responsible for determining the rights status and securing any permissions needed for your use. Copyright status may vary by jurisdiction. See our License & Usage page and Terms of Service for details.