The Entombment of Christ

Catalogue number: Bredius 560.

This painting is part of a series on the Life of Christ painted for the Stadholder, Prince Frederick-Henry of Orange (1584-1647). This series, which is now in Munich, comprises six paintings and originally included a seventh, now lost, the Circumcision. Frederick-Henry's interest was doubtless first kindled by his Secretary, Constantijn Huygens (1596-1587), who was an admirer of Rembrandt. The commission was not executed in biblical order and may well have been given by stages beginning with the Descent from the Cross in 1632-33. It was finally completed only in 1646, with the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Circumcision.