Descent from the Cross

About the Artwork

Carved from a single piece of ivory for Prince Karl Eusebius von Liechtenstein of Vienna, this work is a true tour-de-force. It took Lenckhardt seven years to complete; it is his last known sculpture and the pinnacle of his career. The biblical accounts of the descent from the cross found in the gospels are not consistent, which may contribute to the difficulty in precisely identifying the figures. The Virgin Mary, Saint John, Mary Magdalene, and others were said to be present, but undoubtedly there are other disciples here mourning Christ’s death. The intense emotion registers on the faces of the figures in the scrupulous and exquisitely detailed work.

Inscriptions

inscribed with monogram "AL" conjoined and dated 1653.

Provenance

Prince Karl Eusebius von Liechtenstein, Vienna (1611-1684), 1653 - after 1678 Robert Napier, England, by 1857 - 1865 Fazackerley Collection, England Sold by Cyril Humphris, Ltd., London, to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1967

Exhibition history

Year in Review: 1967. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 29-December 31, 1967).

Quick Overview

Artist: Adam Lenckhardt (German, 1610–1661)
Date: 1653
Medium: ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 44.8 x 16.5 x 12.1 cm (17 5/8 x 6 1/2 x 4 3/4 in.)
Type: Sculpture
Classification: Sculpture
Department: European Painting and Sculpture
Credit line: John L. Severance Fund
Accession no.: 1967.134

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 7, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.