Mise au tombeau

This Mise au tombeau (Entombment) at the Musée Thomas-Henry in Cherbourg, painted around 1480 and attributed to Filippino Lippi, depicts the placing of Christ's body in the sepulchre following the Deposition from the Cross. Filippino Lippi, son of Fra Filippo Lippi and trained by Botticelli, developed into one of Florence's most innovative painters, known for his nervous energy and decorative complexity. This early work from around 1480 reflects his Botticellian formation — the elegant linear style, the graceful figure types — while showing his emerging interest in archaeological detail and compositional complexity. The Entombment was one of the most emotionally charged subjects in the Passion cycle, inviting viewers to contemplate the moment of Christ's burial and the desolation of those who had witnessed his death. The Musée Thomas-Henry in Cherbourg holds an exceptional collection of French and Italian paintings for a regional museum, including works by Fra Filippo Lippi and Millet, and this Filippino Lippi attribution adds an important dimension to the collection's Italian Renaissance holdings.

Oil on panel with Filippino's characteristic restless energy and decorative elaboration. The work demonstrates the artistic qualities characteristic of Filippino Lippi's period.