As in much of the work by the Venetian master Vittore Carpaccio (c. 1465–1525/26), there’s a lot going on in The Preparation of Christ’s Tomb (1505/20). Our eye is immediately drawn to the unusual rock structure in the middle ground: the caves being gouged into it for Christ’s entombment make it look like a skull looming out of the landscape. But once we’ve toured the scene, from the workmen preparing Christ’s tomb to the varied cast of characters that populate the painting, our eyes come to rest on the wan body of Christ, laid out on a long table above an assortment of lolling skulls. The Gemäldegalerie in Berlin acquired this extraordinary painting in 1905 and has now restored it to glory, stripping away varnish to allow us to see Carpaccio’s vivid colours and intricate details. This exhibition brings the painting together with work by Bellini and other contemporaries; it also includes a preparatory drawing of Christ attributed to Carpaccio and an engraving by Mantegna that left a major impression on the painter (20 November–6 April 2026).
Find out more from Staatliche Museen zu Berlin’s website.
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