Christ in the Sepulchre with Two Angels
Andrea del Castagno·1445
Historical Context
Andrea del Castagno's Christ in the Sepulchre with Two Angels, painted around 1445, depicts the dead Christ displayed for devotional contemplation. This Man of Sorrows type served as a focal point for meditation on the Passion, particularly during Lenten observances in the Sant'Apollonia refectory Egg tempera on panel was the dominant technique of the period, demanding careful layer-by-layer construction and patient craftsmanship The work is now in the collection of Cenacolo di Sant'Apollonia M
Technical Analysis
Castagno renders Christ's body with anatomical precision and sculptural solidity, the pallor of death contrasted with the luminous forms of the attending angels in a composition of stark emotional directness.
