The Entombment - Jacob Matham

A detailed 1589 engraving by Jacob Matham, depicting the Entombment of Christ after a design by Tintoretto.

This engraving by Jacob Matham depicts the Entombment of Christ, a subject frequently explored by artists of the Northern Mannerist tradition. Matham, a prominent Dutch engraver and draughtsman, produced this work in 1589. The composition is based on a design by the Venetian painter Tintoretto, whose influence is evident in the dramatic, elongated figures and the dynamic, swirling arrangement of the scene.

The print displays the technical precision characteristic of Matham's output. The artist employs a variety of hatching and cross-hatching techniques to define form and create a sense of volume within the figures. The scene is divided into two primary zones: the upper section features the body of Christ being lowered into the tomb, attended by mourners and an angel, while the lower section shows the Virgin Mary, overcome with grief, supported by other figures. The background includes the distant silhouettes of the three crosses on Golgotha, providing a narrative link to the preceding Crucifixion.

Matham's work reflects the period's interest in complex, multi-layered compositions. The figures are arranged in a manner that guides the viewer's eye through the narrative, from the sorrowful foreground to the celestial presence of the angel above. The use of light and shadow, achieved through the density of the engraved lines, creates a sombre atmosphere appropriate for the subject matter. As an engraver, Matham was instrumental in disseminating the styles of Italian masters to a wider European audience, and this print serves as a clear example of the cross-pollination between Venetian painting and Dutch printmaking during the late sixteenth century.