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Lamentation over the dead Christ

Panel
15th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

The dead Christ lies in the lap of the Virgin Mary who is flanked by Mary Magdalene and Mary Cleophas. At the bottom of the image there is a skull and some bones which probably refers to Golgotha, the place of the skull, where the Crucifixion took place.

Object details

Categories
Christianity
Religion
Sculpture
Object type
Panel
TitleLamentation over the dead Christ (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Carved alabaster
Alabaster
Carving
Brief description
Alabaster panel depicting the Lamentation over the dead Christ. English, 15th century.
Physical description
The dead Christ, wearing a loincloth and a torse, lies left to right across the Virgin's lap, his head supported by her right hand. His arms are by his sides and the legs hang down at right angles. The Virgin, wearing a gown and a veil over her head which she holds at the neck with her left hand, is seated on the tomb and looks down at Christ. A figure (headless) on the left of the panel, wearing a tight-fitting gown and a cloak and apparently holding a strand of hair in her right hand, is presumably Mary Magdalene. Behind the tomb on the right of the panel is a veiled female figure, wearing a gown and holding a closed book in her left hand, and looking down at Christ; this is presumably Mary Cleophas. A skull, two crossed bones and a jawbone in the foreground of the panel doubtless signify Golgotha, the place of the skull. The top of the panel is missing and there is a vertical slit to the left of the Virgin's head. There is a hole drilled right through the panel just above Christ's left shoulder. No paint remains on the panel. The back of the panel has three holes plugged with lead. The bottom has been cut away.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.1cm
  • Width: 27.4cm
From Cheetham, English Medieval Alabasters, 1984.
Style
Medieval
Credit line
Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA
Object history
Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh in 1946.
Subjects depicted
Loincloth
Gown
Veil
Tomb
Cloak
Book
Skull
Bone
Torses
Christ
Mary
Mary
Cleophas, Mary
Summary
The dead Christ lies in the lap of the Virgin Mary who is flanked by Mary Magdalene and Mary Cleophas. At the bottom of the image there is a skull and some bones which probably refers to Golgotha, the place of the skull, where the Crucifixion took place.
Bibliographic references
  • Cheetham, Francis. English Medieval Alabasters. Oxford: Phaidon-Christie's Limited, 1984. p. 197 (cat. 124), ill. ISBN 0-7148-8014-0
  • Williamson, Paul (ed.). Object of Devotion: Medieval English Alabaster Sculpture from the Victoria and Albert Museum. Exhibition Catalogue, Palm Beach FLA, Society of the Four Arts, and five other institutions. Alexandria, VA: Art Services International, 2010, pp. 130-31, cat. 27.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.197-1946

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Record createdNovember 28, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71006/lamentation-over-the-dead-christ-panel-unknown/
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