The Descent from the Cross

Vincenzo Danti

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture depicts a scene with multiple figures involved in the descent of a body from a cross. The figures are intricately carved in relief, displaying a variety of poses and gestures as they either help lower the body or stand by, observing. The material of the sculpture is a dark, brownish bronze. The entire composition is framed within an ornate rectangular border featuring classical architectural elements such as fluted pilasters and a decorative cornice with gold accents. The figures and their garments are rendered with fluid lines, adding a sense of movement and complexity to the piece, and they appear almost life-sized relative to the frame around them.