The Entombment c. 1516 - 1529

Andrea Briosco, known as Riccio, created "The Entombment" in bronze sometime in the late 15th or early 16th century. The scene depicts the body of Christ being prepared for burial, surrounded by mourners, and it offers us a glimpse into the religious and social environment of Renaissance Italy. Padua, where Riccio worked, was a center of humanist learning, deeply influenced by classical antiquity, which shaped the artistic production of the time. The meticulous detail and emotional intensity of the figures reflect the period's preoccupation with humanism and the desire to elicit empathy from viewers. The bronze medium itself was often associated with high status and patronage. The work might have been commissioned for a private chapel or a wealthy collector, reflecting the era's evolving relationship between art, religion, and social class. Historians analyze such works through a variety of sources, including patronage records, religious texts, and contemporary accounts, to better understand the complex interplay of art, belief, and society.