Descent from the Cross c. 1520 - 1523

Curator: This is Ugo da Carpi’s "Descent from the Cross", currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes you first? Editor: Gut punch. It’s heavy, man. All that anguish and the weight of the body, it just sinks. Curator: Da Carpi, active in the early 16th century, was known for his chiaroscuro woodcuts, a technique mimicking drawings. Prints like this circulated widely, shaping religious imagination. Editor: The way they're struggling, almost fighting to hold him. It’s like grief turned physical. You can almost hear the wood creaking under the strain of the moment. Curator: Absolutely. This print reminds us of the power of images to convey not just narratives, but intense human emotion in a time of incredible religious and social upheaval. Editor: Yeah, it's a stark reminder that art, even when it's religious, can really get under your skin.