Dieric Bouts distinguished himself by painting on canvas instead of wood and by applying paint much more thinly than others did. Bouts preferred understatement, clarity, and order in his work.Even so, his rendering of this subject is moving, and expresses great reverence for the body of Christ. A small group of people attend the isolated burial. These men and women are visibly upset, but no one indulges in unrestrained emotion during such a solemn ritual. Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and Mary Magdalene support Christ, but their hands do not to touch His body: herever they hold him, they cover their hands with His shroud. By contrast, the Virgin Mary holds Christ’s left arm between her folded hands.
The three remaining figures are placed near Mary so that she, though subordinate, is also an object of care and attention. It is significant that John, charged specifically to take care of the Virgin, divides his attention. Standing at the apex of the sweeping arc that circumscribes the group and dressed in a deep red that expresses his pervasive love, he gazes sadly at Christ, while gently supporting the Virgin’s faltering body.
