The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb (and detail, lower) 30.5 cm × 200 cm. Kunstmuseum Basel
It shows a life-size, grotesque depiction of the stretched and unnaturally thin body of Jesus Christ lying in his tomb. Holbein shows the dead Son of God after he has suffered the fate of an ordinary human. The painting is held in the Kunstmuseum Basel.
The painting is especially notable for its dramatic dimensions (30.5 cm x 200 cm),[1] and the fact that Christ's face, hands and feet, as well as the wounds in his torso, are depicted as realistic dead flesh in the early stages of putrefaction. His body is shown as long and emaciated while eyes and mouth are left open.[2]
Detail
Christ is shown with three visible wounds: on his hand, side and feet. Discussing the artist's use of unflinching realism, art historians Oscar Bätschmann and Pascal Griener noted that Christ's raised and extended middle finger appears to "reach towards the beholder", while his strands of hair "look as if they are breaking through the surface of the painting".[2] Above the body, angels holding instruments of the Passion bear an inscription in brush on paper inscribed with the Latin words "IESVS·NAZARENVS·REX·IVDÆORVM" (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews).[3]
In common with many artists of the early Protestant Reformation, Holbein was fascinated with the macabre. His father, Hans Holbein the Elder, took him to see Matthias Grünewald's altarpiece in Isenheim, a city in which the elder also received a number of commissions from the local hospice.[2] In common with the religious traditions of the 1520s, the work was intended to evoke piety and follows the intentions of Grünewald, who in his altarpiece set out to instill feelings of both guilt and empathy in the viewer.[4]
It is unknown for what purpose the painting was created. Various suggestions have been offered, including as a predella for an altarpiece, a free-standing work, or an ornament for a sepulchre.[1] The painting was commissioned by Bonifacius Amerbach,[5] who was also portrayed by Hans Holbein. Subsequently, it was included in the Amerbach Cabinet where it was described as a "Picture of a dead man by H. Holbein...with the title Iesus Nazarenus rex".[6] In 1999, Bätschmann and Griener raised the possibility that the panel was intended to form part of a Holy Tomb, perhaps as a lid to be laid over a sepulchre.[4] Legend has it that Holbein used a body retrieved from the Rhine as a model for the work. "Whether this is true or not, there is no doubt of his attempt to be totally convincing."[7] The painting is exhibited in the Kunstmuseum Basel.[8]
Commentaryedit
Henry Augustin Valentin after Hans Holbein the Younger, Iesvs Nazarenevs Rex Ivdaeorvm, 19th century, etching, Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC
The panel has attracted fascination and praise since it was created. The Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky was captivated by the work. In 1867, his wife had to drag him away from the panel lest its grip on him induce an epileptic seizure.[4] Dostoevsky saw in Holbein an impulse similar to one of his own main literary preoccupations: the pious desire to confront Christian faith with everything that negated it, in this case the laws of nature and the stark reality of death.[9] In his 1869 novel The Idiot, the character Prince Myshkin, having viewed a copy of the painting in the home of Rogozhin, declares that it has the power to make the viewer lose his faith.[10] The character of Ippolit Terentyev, an articulate exponent of atheism and nihilism who is himself near death, engages in a long philosophical discussion of the painting, claiming that it demonstrates the victory of 'blind nature' over everything, including even the most perfect and beautiful of beings.[11][12]
The effect of the open eyes and mouth has been described by the art critic Michel Onfray as giving the impression that "the viewer sees Christ seeing: he might also perceive what death has in store, because he's staring at the heavens, while his soul is probably there already. No-one has taken the trouble to close his mouth and his eyes. Or else Holbein wants to tell us that, even in death, Christ still looks and speaks."[1]
^Ács, Pál (2013). "Holbein's "Dead Christ" in Basel and the Radical Reformation". The Hungarian Historical Review. 2 (1): 75. ISSN 2063-8647. JSTOR 42568691.
^Michael, Erika (1997). Hans Holbein the Younger, A Guide to Research. Garland. pp. 48–49. ISBN0815303890.
^Moyle, Franny, The King's Painter: The Life and Times of Hans Holbein, New York: Abrams Press, 2021, p. 90.
^"Holbein's dead Christ delivers a shock | Jonathan Jones". the Guardian. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
^Frank, Joseph (2010). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time. Princeton University Press. p. 550.
^Dostoevsky, Fyodor (2004). The Idiot. Penguin Books. pp. 475–477.
^Frank, Joseph (2010). Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time, Princeton University Press, p. 550.
Sourcesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb.
Bätschmann, Oskar & Griener, Pascal. Hans Holbein. Reaktion Books, 1997. ISBN1-86189-040-0. Revised and expanded edition, London: Reaktion Books, 2014. ISBN978-1-78023-171-6.
Meyers, Jeffrey. "Holbein and the Idiot," in Meyers, Jeffrey, Painting and the Novel. London: Manchester University Press, 1975. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1975.
Kristeva, Julia. Black Sun: Depression and Melancholia. New York: Columbia University Press, 1989.
November 30, 2023
body, dead, christ, tomb, tempera, limewood, painting, created, german, artist, printmaker, hans, holbein, younger, between, 1520, 1522, detail, lower, kunstmuseum, baselit, shows, life, size, grotesque, depiction, stretched, unnaturally, thin, body, jesus, ch. The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb is an oil and tempera on limewood painting created by the German artist and printmaker Hans Holbein the Younger between 1520 and 1522 The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb and detail lower 30 5 cm 200 cm Kunstmuseum BaselIt shows a life size grotesque depiction of the stretched and unnaturally thin body of Jesus Christ lying in his tomb Holbein shows the dead Son of God after he has suffered the fate of an ordinary human The painting is held in the Kunstmuseum Basel Contents 1 Description 2 Background 3 Commentary 4 See also 5 Notes 6 SourcesDescription editThe painting is especially notable for its dramatic dimensions 30 5 cm x 200 cm 1 and the fact that Christ s face hands and feet as well as the wounds in his torso are depicted as realistic dead flesh in the early stages of putrefaction His body is shown as long and emaciated while eyes and mouth are left open 2 nbsp DetailChrist is shown with three visible wounds on his hand side and feet Discussing the artist s use of unflinching realism art historians Oscar Batschmann and Pascal Griener noted that Christ s raised and extended middle finger appears to reach towards the beholder while his strands of hair look as if they are breaking through the surface of the painting 2 Above the body angels holding instruments of the Passion bear an inscription in brush on paper inscribed with the Latin words IESVS NAZARENVS REX IVDAEORVM Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews 3 nbsp Centerpiece of Matthias Grunewald s Isenheim AltarpieceBackground editIn common with many artists of the early Protestant Reformation Holbein was fascinated with the macabre His father Hans Holbein the Elder took him to see Matthias Grunewald s altarpiece in Isenheim a city in which the elder also received a number of commissions from the local hospice 2 In common with the religious traditions of the 1520s the work was intended to evoke piety and follows the intentions of Grunewald who in his altarpiece set out to instill feelings of both guilt and empathy in the viewer 4 nbsp Matthias Grunewald Lamentation and Entombment of Christ predella of the Isenheim Altarpiece 1512 15 Musee d Unterlinden Colmar It is unknown for what purpose the painting was created Various suggestions have been offered including as a predella for an altarpiece a free standing work or an ornament for a sepulchre 1 The painting was commissioned by Bonifacius Amerbach 5 who was also portrayed by Hans Holbein Subsequently it was included in the Amerbach Cabinet where it was described as a Picture of a dead man by H Holbein with the title Iesus Nazarenus rex 6 In 1999 Batschmann and Griener raised the possibility that the panel was intended to form part of a Holy Tomb perhaps as a lid to be laid over a sepulchre 4 Legend has it that Holbein used a body retrieved from the Rhine as a model for the work Whether this is true or not there is no doubt of his attempt to be totally convincing 7 The painting is exhibited in the Kunstmuseum Basel 8 Commentary edit nbsp Henry Augustin Valentin after Hans Holbein the Younger Iesvs Nazarenevs Rex Ivdaeorvm 19th century etching Department of Image Collections National Gallery of Art Library Washington DCThe panel has attracted fascination and praise since it was created The Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky was captivated by the work In 1867 his wife had to drag him away from the panel lest its grip on him induce an epileptic seizure 4 Dostoevsky saw in Holbein an impulse similar to one of his own main literary preoccupations the pious desire to confront Christian faith with everything that negated it in this case the laws of nature and the stark reality of death 9 In his 1869 novel The Idiot the character Prince Myshkin having viewed a copy of the painting in the home of Rogozhin declares that it has the power to make the viewer lose his faith 10 The character of Ippolit Terentyev an articulate exponent of atheism and nihilism who is himself near death engages in a long philosophical discussion of the painting claiming that it demonstrates the victory of blind nature over everything including even the most perfect and beautiful of beings 11 12 The effect of the open eyes and mouth has been described by the art critic Michel Onfray as giving the impression that the viewer sees Christ seeing he might also perceive what death has in store because he s staring at the heavens while his soul is probably there already No one has taken the trouble to close his mouth and his eyes Or else Holbein wants to tell us that even in death Christ still looks and speaks 1 See also editList of paintings by Hans Holbein the YoungerNotes edit a b c Onfray Michel The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb 1521 Archived 2009 05 13 at the Wayback Machine Tate Etc 2006 Retrieved on May 4 2009 a b c Batschmann amp Griener 88 The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb Web Gallery of Art Retrieved on May 4 2009 a b c Batschmann amp Griener 89 Acs Pal 2013 Holbein s Dead Christ in Basel and the Radical Reformation The Hungarian Historical Review 2 1 75 ISSN 2063 8647 JSTOR 42568691 Michael Erika 1997 Hans Holbein the Younger A Guide to Research Garland pp 48 49 ISBN 0815303890 Moyle Franny The King s Painter The Life and Times of Hans Holbein New York Abrams Press 2021 p 90 Holbein s dead Christ delivers a shock Jonathan Jones the Guardian 18 June 2009 Retrieved 3 May 2021 Frank Joseph 2010 Dostoevsky A Writer in His Time Princeton University Press p 550 Meyers 136 147 Dostoevsky Fyodor 2004 The Idiot Penguin Books pp 475 477 Frank Joseph 2010 Dostoevsky A Writer in His Time Princeton University Press p 550 Sources edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb Batschmann Oskar amp Griener Pascal Hans Holbein Reaktion Books 1997 ISBN 1 86189 040 0 Revised and expanded edition London Reaktion Books 2014 ISBN 978 1 78023 171 6 Meyers Jeffrey Holbein and the Idiot in Meyers Jeffrey Painting and the Novel London Manchester University Press 1975 New York Barnes amp Noble Books 1975 Kristeva Julia Black Sun Depression and Melancholia New York Columbia University Press 1989 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb amp oldid 1184470983, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
