- The Entombment
Infobox Painting|
title=The Entombment
artist=Michelangelo
year=circa 1500-1501
type=Tempera on panel
height=162
width=150
city=National Gallery
museum=London"The Entombment" is an unfinished painting attributed to the Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti (c. 1500-1501). It is housed in the National Gallery of
London ,England .The chronological position of this work has been the source of some dispute, although it is generally considered a young work by the master. According to some, it was instead an execution of one of Michelangelo's pupils from a drawing by the master, or directly an imitation [http://www.buonarroti.eu/sepoltura_di_cristo_sc_7462.htm] .
According to documents discovered in 1981 [http://www.buonarroti.eu/sepoltura_di_cristo_sc_7462.htm] , Michelangelo had been commissioned to paint a panel for the church of
Sant'Agostino inRome , but in the end the artist gave back the sum received. Although no certainty exists, it is probable that the work in question was in fact the "Entombment", which remained unfinished due to Michelangelo's return toFlorence .The centre of the panel portrays Christ carried to the sepulchre. The bearded aged man behind him is
Joseph of Arimathea , the man who gave his tomb for Christ's sepulture. The figure on the left is probably St. John, with a long red dress, while kneeling at his feet isMary Magdalene .The identity of the two figures on the right is uncertain (
Nicodemus , the inner one, andMary Salome have been proposed). The other missing figure is that of theVirgin Mary .External links
* [http://www.buonarroti.eu/sepoltura_di_cristo_sc_7462.htm Page at Buonarroti.eu] it icon
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