The Entombment c. 1525 - 1535

Editor: So, this is Parmigianino’s "The Entombment," an etching and engraving on paper from the 1520s or 30s. The linear quality almost gives it this ghostly feeling, right? The whole scene seems caught between worlds. What strikes you when you look at this? Curator: The "ghostly feeling" you’re picking up is fascinating. I think Parmigianino uses that effect to transport us into a space of mourning and contemplation. It's like a dream of grief. He captures the in-between moments when sorrow just washes over you. And, look, are those supporting figures dissolving into the background like figures fading from memory, or from this life? Do you see how the etching style kind of contributes to that feeling of things slipping away? Editor: I do. They almost become part of the swirling atmosphere behind them. And is it typical of Mannerism to see this kind of almost elongated figure on the left, looking on? Curator: Exactly. You’ve got it. Parmigianino was a real flag-waver for Mannerism, a mid-Renaissance style that was all about exaggeration, artifice and pushing the boundaries of naturalism, sort of turning beauty into something almost otherworldly. It's about heightened drama and emotional intensity, sometimes in the face of emptiness. Think of how different that is from the Renaissance ideals of balance and harmony, huh? Editor: Right, it's much more unsettling. Curator: And deeply personal, wouldn't you say? I think with Mannerism and Parmigianino, in particular, we're looking at art that wants to provoke, to challenge, maybe even to unsettle. It's not about easy answers. The image appears fleeting and, for me, creates a sacred and contemplative space where sorrow mixes with a profound kind of dream state. What a moment. Editor: This has really helped me appreciate how the technique reinforces the overall sense of grief and spiritual questioning within the scene. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Seeing the dream world inside art opens our eyes to what the artists can offer each of us when in a moment of contemplation.