\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 St. Peter is on the right, holding a large key, and St. Jerome and St. Paul are on the left, the latter grasping a sword. They are wa
tching the drama unfolding in front of them, in the middle of the scene, with an air of calm participation. The Virgin, who has swooned in the arms of St. John the Evangelist, holds the lifeless body of Christ in her lap, which is bent in an arc with the
head thrown back and the left arm hanging down.\par
At the sides the kneeling Mary Magdalene supports JesusÆs feet while Mary of Bethany brings ChristÆs head close to her face with both hands. Martha, alongside the Virgin, holds the nails in her left h
and.\par
In the background, large stones frame the dark opening of the cave, that reveals the sepulcher, and seem to loom over the figures in front. The painter portrays these figures in eloquent poses and poignantly contrasts the colors of their clothi
ng.\par
The expressions on their faces, such as the MagdalenÆs grief-contorted visage, and the forceful lines of their veils and cloaks accentuate the dramatic nature of the scene.\par
The picture was painted from 1490 to 1492. The work, which was orig
inally set on an altar in the church of San Paolino, was bought in Florence and restored in 1814 for Prince Louis of Bavaria.
