The Entombment 

Curator: This print, titled "The Entombment," appears to be the work of Ludwig of Ulm. Created using woodcut techniques typical of medieval art, it presents a significant historical and narrative scene. Editor: Woah, okay. My first thought is… stark. There’s something incredibly raw about this image, despite the almost cartoonish quality of the figures. It hits you right in the gut, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. It embodies the historical context of devotional imagery meant to evoke profound emotion. Let's unpack some of that rawness by considering the figures surrounding Christ. Their postures, heavily burdened with sorrow, represent a specific intersectional response to loss. How do you see this conveyed? Editor: Well, it’s in those halos for a start! Trapped light around bowed heads—feels heavy, stifling almost. And everyone is so close together, crammed around this small tomb, as if grief leaves you with no room to breathe. Notice the blood almost sketched on? Ouch. Curator: Indeed. The use of blood—it's more than just religious symbolism. Think about the vulnerability the blood and those wound markings expose. In Medieval art, such vulnerability often resonated with the social experiences of the marginalized. Consider how women, in particular, might relate to the themes of pain and resilience depicted here. Editor: True, though everyone looks uniformly miserable; you could use the print to kickstart a debate on the burden of family trauma and expectations. Are there are ever works that focus instead on the fun bits about being a religious figure? Curator: I am intrigued by your reflection... However, that reading requires we engage in historical and contemporary cultural dialogue about social conditions to unpack its layers. We are looking into more than one kind of history here, of suffering. Editor: Right! Art offers prompts... it’s always exciting to stumble across one so visceral that you simply must respond to it somehow, even kicking and screaming. What do you think of all those teeny rectangles lining the coffin? Is it meant to soften the reality of a stone grave? Curator: An interesting interpretation. The rectangles along the coffin could be symbolic or decorative. It shows that "The Entombment" and what happened that day, resonates even centuries after. I feel moved and grounded after observing this woodcut by Ludwig of Ulm.