The Entombment (Giordano)

“The Entombment” is a painting created by the Italian artist Luca Giordano around 1650-1653. The artwork depicts a scene from the New Testament in which Jesus Christ is laid to rest in his tomb after his crucifixion. In the composition, Joseph of Arimathea supports Jesus’ body from behind, while Nicodemus carefully places Jesus’ legs into the stone sepulcher.

The painting includes John the Evangelist, who is clothed in red, and Mary, Jesus' mother, who is clothed in a warm blue. She is portrayed as deeply saddened by the death of her son and is being comforted by the Holy Women around her. According to the New Testament, Jesus was very important to these individuals, and they are all trying to process what they are experiencing. Giordano places them into the foreground of the painting to show their significance in Jesus's life. There are also human figures in the background of the painting that are grieving and discussing the scene in front of them.

The Artist
Giordano is one of the most renowned artists in Naples and was highly praised for his work during the 17th century. Giordano's nickname was "Luca fa presto" because he created his paintings at a fast pace, but with extraordinary results. Giordano's catholic approach  was manifested in his steadfast belief in the theory of modes, a concept that profoundly shaped the poetry and aesthetic concepts of the Seicento period at the end of the Renaissance. Embracing naturalism as a cornerstone of his style, Giordano's paintings exuded a distinctive spiritual essence that showcased his devout beliefs. This approach not only brought out the best in his works but also solidified his position as an exceptional artist.

"The Entombment," a testament to his naturalistic technique, highlights the fusion of emotional intensity and skillful execution for which Giordano was highly revered. Oreste's insights in his book further elucidate the significance of Giordano's Catholic inclination, underscoring its pivotal role in shaping the religious thematic essence of his artistic creations.

Influence
Giordano was deeply influenced by Caravaggio's painting of "The Entombment" and created a similar painting in his own style. Giordano's first master was Jusepe de Ribera who was deeply influenced by Caravinggo's naturalism. Ribera taught Giordano how to make use of naturalism in his work, and he utilised it in "The Entombment". Giordano also studied numerous 16th century Venetian artists, as he was captivated by the luminary quality of their paintings. He was inspired by their use of light, color, movement, and bravura which he then applied in many of his paintings in a unique way. Several elements within the Detroit painting (see below) bear witness to the significant influence of Rubens' art on Giordano. These include the general luminous quality, the use of vivid colors, particularly reddish flesh-tones, deep reds, bluish-greens, and occasional yellow accents on the garments, as well as the seamless fluidity in the transitions between different tonalities.

Related paintings
During the initial phase of his career, Giordano created multiple renditions of "The Entombment". The "Bari version", is described as modest in quality and significantly affected by its poor state of preservation. Its historical significance was minimal until the discovery of the Detroit Entombment in 1972. The rediscovery of the Detroit Entombment demotes the Bari rendition to the status of a mere replica. Nonetheless, the existence of this replica signifies the widespread admiration for this specific interpretation of a theme that held significance in the Seicento era, particularly in regions of Europe where Counter-Reformation religious beliefs endured. Giordano painted various different versions of this theme. The versions found in the Museo del Sannio at Benevento and the Philbrook Art Center in Tulsa belong to a slightly later period but still exhibit distinct naturalistic features. The previous paintings of "The Entombment" are not identifiable to the Detroit version.

The Detroit Entombment
The Detroit Entombment vividly demonstrates Giordano's exceptional skill in seamlessly incorporating and blending various stylistic approaches, showcasing his remarkable versatility and artistic mastery. The figures are arranged in a diagonal form with a very low viewpoint. There is a tiered marble pedestal, which represents the tomb they are placing Jesus into. These elements reflect the typical composition seen in Venetian paintings of the Seicento. Additionally, the dramatic portrayal of the soldier's ancient attire, his facial expression, and the skillful rendering of light on his shoulder and arm illustrate Giordano's profound assimilation of Paolo Veronese's painting techniques. There are detailed naturalistic aspects in this painting which help give the painting a dramatic feel to it, the way Christ's body is positioned and how his head falls back into the shadows of the painting, the depiction of his tortured feet in the forefront, the apostle's hand grasping the cloth, and the unidealized portrayal of the man's face, accentuated with minimal light and shadow.