The Lamentation Of Mary Over the Body of Christ with Angels Holding the Symbols of the Passion

A specialist in religious painting, Juan Correa de Vivar was commissioned throughout his career to produce altarpieces for churches and monasteries in and around Toledo. Probably the central panel of an altarpiece, The Lamentation of Mary over the Body of Christ features a passionate and mournful Mary kneeling before Christ. With outstretched arms, she looks heavenward while Christ’s emaciated body lies lifeless in front of her. A crown of thorns lies at His feet, along with the nails from the crucifixion. The artist painted this portion of the composition in the form of a pyramid, which allowed him to add related scenes on either side. These smaller vignettes offer a continuous narrative of the Passion of Christ: scenes include the City of Jerusalem; the mount where Christ was executed along with the two thieves; and the cave where he was laid to rest. In addition to these elements, two groups of angels occupy the upper corners of the composition. They carry the symbols, or Arma Christi, of the Passion—the column, calipers, lance, sponge, hammer, and bucket.