XIV.
Jesus is Placed in the Tomb

Entombment, c. 1439
Fra Angelico, Italian (1395-1455)
Tempera on wood
Alte Pinakothek, Munich

Angelico entered a Dominican convent at the age of 18, became a friar, and began his artistic career as an illuminator of missals and other religious books.  He began painting altarpieces and frescoes, and created one of the first representations of the Madonna flanked by angels and saints who all share a common space.  His representation of devout facial expressions and his use of color to heighten emotion are particularly effective.  He spent his entire career painting religious works, and became known as “Beato Angelico” (the Blessed Angelico).