The Entombment 1547 - 1566

Battista Franco rendered "The Entombment" in ink on paper sometime between 1510 and 1561, a period rife with religious and social upheaval. Franco, living in a society steeped in patriarchal traditions, navigated the conventions of religious art while subtly highlighting the emotional roles of women within these narratives. The piece captures the somber moment when Christ is laid in his tomb. Yet, it’s the reactions of the women—Mary, his mother, and Mary Magdalene—that draw our attention. Their gestures, full of sorrow and tenderness, offer a counterpoint to the stoicism often associated with male figures in similar depictions. Franco seems to suggest an alternative reading of the Passion, one where female grief and empathy take center stage. The composition invites us to consider the multifaceted nature of mourning. Franco’s work goes beyond the traditional representation by daring to infuse it with the emotional depth of its female figures.