Descent from the Cross

Jean Goujon|Marcantonio Raimondi

ca. 1555 · Alabaster with traces of gilding · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Against a distant view of Jerusalem, Christ’s body is lowered into the arms of Saint John the Evangelist under the anguished gaze of Mary Magdalen, who kneels at the foot of the cross. On the left, one of the other Maries supports the swooning Virgin. Although the composition was based on an engraving by the Bolognese printmaker Marcantonio Raimondi (ca. 1480–before 1534), the figures’ thin draperies, elongated silhouettes, and Grecian profiles reflect the influence of the court artist Jean Goujon.

Artist

Jean Goujon|Marcantonio Raimondi

Date

ca. 1555

Medium

Alabaster with traces of gilding

Culture

French, Paris

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1929