The Burial of Christ

This canvas, imbued with a strong sense of theatricality and drama, was executed in 1665. It depicts Christ on His way to be buried, as recounted by the evangelists, which is to say the moment when a small group of Jesus followers take his lifeless body down from the cross and prepare it for its journey to the sepulcher. The group in question includes Joseph of Arimathea, who obtained permission from Pontius Pilate to take Christ down from the cross and bury Him, and Nicodemus, who brings myrrh and unguents in order to wrap the body in its linen shroud in accordance with Jewish tradition. On the left is the grief-stricken Virgin Mary, with outstretched arms, Her face, full of suffering at the death of her son, half-turned towards us. Next to her, shown in pro file, is Mary Magdalene, whose clenched hands, just above her stomach, speak of her affliction. The strikingly dramatic quality of this scene is accentuated by the use of color, the handling of light, and the shadowy expressiveness of the various characters' faces. The Jesus of Nazareth hospital in the City of Taxco was host to this piece for several years, after which it was donated to the old San Carlos Academy. It became a part of the MUNAL collection in the year 2000.