The Entombment

Francesco Mazzola, also known as Parmigianino, a name derived from his native town of Parma, is acknowledged as one of the most accomplished representatives of Mannerist painting of the first half of the 16th century. He was among the first artists in the Italian peninsula to learn the technique of etching and to put its artistic potential to full use. Contrary to engraving, etching facilitates an immediate and vivid rendering, like drawing. Entombment is one of the artist’s peak achievements, believed to have been done directly by him. There exist two, side−reversed versions of the composition. This variant was perhaps made a little later than the first Entombment, possibly due to the damage of the original plate. Parmigianino altered the composition here, laying greater emphasis on the figures of Christ and Joseph of Arimathea (?), who stand to Christ’s left, holding a crown of thorns above Christ’s head. Many preparatory drawings attest to the artist’s careful study and development of the composition. The Entombment print was amply copied and had a strong impact on later treatments of this theme.