Entombment of Christ 

Curator: This striking work is “Entombment of Christ” by Timoteo Viti, currently residing here at the Städel Museum. Editor: Immediately, the emotion jumps out, doesn't it? It's all sorrow, tenderness, the kind of quiet grief that settles in the bones. Curator: Exactly, Viti masterfully uses drawing techniques, likely pencil, ink and charcoal, to create palpable emotions. Notice how the historical and thematic context of this drawing ties into Viti’s exploration of grief, highlighting the community and support that surrounds loss. The marks themselves, the visible labor in building up the scene, add to the sense of human vulnerability. Editor: You’re so right. The raw quality is striking, like we’re witnessing a sacred act, almost uninvited, don't you think? And the landscape…barely suggested, yet heavy with its presence. Like the world itself is holding its breath. Curator: I agree. Furthermore, think about the materiality, the cost of these supplies – paper, charcoal, ink - within its High Renaissance social framework. These choices elevate "craft" to fine art by using readily available resources, a subtle but powerful act. Editor: It’s also incredibly intimate despite the scale, isn’t it? Almost dreamlike. I keep wondering what the figures are thinking. Are they remembering? Are they grappling with the impossible? Curator: Considering the art market of the period, a preparatory sketch like this reveals more than a final painted version – its intimacy derives from direct contact with the artist, their labor and process, offering tangible evidence of production. Editor: Well, after seeing this, I feel almost like I’ve lived a tiny lifetime inside that scene. Grief and all. Curator: I concur. Understanding Viti's practice offers us a view of how art embodies and transcends a moment in time.