The Entombment, from Speculum passionis domini nostri Ihesu Christi 1507

This woodcut, made by Hans Schäufelein, presents a complex tableau of grief and reverence. The dominant symbol is the lifeless body of Christ, being carefully lowered into the tomb. This motif—the deposition—echoes across time, from ancient sarcophagi to Renaissance paintings. Observe the mourners. Their gestures of sorrow—wringing hands and veiled faces—are laden with cultural weight. Consider the figure of Mary Magdalene, her unbound hair a symbol of grief but also of her past as a sinner. Unbound hair as a signifier of female hysteria extends back to classical antiquity; think of maenads in frenzied Bacchic rituals. Note the nest with eggs in the lower-right corner. Its proximity to the tomb is poignant, symbolizing not just mourning, but also the promise of resurrection, of life emerging from death. This juxtaposition of death and nascent life taps into the collective memory of cyclical renewal. It connects us to the subconscious human desire for immortality, engaging us on a profound, emotional level. The Entombment reminds us that even in moments of despair, the eternal cycle continues.