The Entombment

Throughout the ages artists and craftsmen have made virtuoso carvings as a display of their skill and ingenuity. Although ivory, wood and stone are relatively easy to carve, other materials such as gemstones are much more demanding. Most of these carvings were made for wealthy patrons and collectors, who delighted in the rarity of the material and quality of the carving. Balthasar Permoser(1651-1732) was famous for his monumental sculpture, but he also worked on a more intimate scale. He was among the foremost sculptors of the late Baroque period in Germany. This ivory exemplifies his sensitive carving, in particular the swooning Virgin falling away from the figure of the dead Christ. The concave top of the relief reflects the shape of the ivory tusk. In terms of subject matter, he executed both profoundly religious works, and elegant pieces of a purely secular nature.