El Greco (Domenicos Theotocopulos), Spanish (born Crete, active Italy and Toledo), 1541-1614 – Lamentation Philadelphia Museum of Art

The composition presents a scene steeped in sorrow and grief, centered around a figure lying prone at the base of a rocky outcrop. He is surrounded by three other individuals who express their anguish through gesture and posture. The central figures body is pale against the earth tones of the ground, his head tilted downwards, suggesting exhaustion or death.
To his left, a woman in a vibrant red garment leans towards him, her face contorted with grief. Her hands are clasped around his torso, emphasizing physical closeness and emotional distress. On the right, another figure, draped in dark green robes, cradles the central figure’s head, their expression conveying profound sadness and tenderness. Above them stands a woman shrouded in black, her face raised towards the sky in an apparent cry of lamentation. Her posture is rigid, almost theatrical, contrasting with the more naturalistic poses of those below.
The background is dominated by a turbulent sky filled with dark clouds, hinting at a sense of divine displeasure or cosmic sorrow. Three crosses are visible on the left side of the composition, stark and imposing against the landscape, serving as a visual reminder of sacrifice and suffering. The artist employed a limited palette – primarily earth tones, reds, greens, and blacks – which contributes to the overall somber mood.
The elongated figures and dramatic lighting create an atmosphere of heightened emotion and spiritual intensity. There is a deliberate distortion of perspective; the scale of the figures seems disproportionate to their surroundings, further emphasizing the emotional weight of the scene. The brushwork appears loose and expressive, contributing to a sense of immediacy and raw feeling.
Subtly, the arrangement suggests not only immediate grief but also a broader commentary on human suffering and faith. The positioning of the figures – the woman in red leaning into the central figure, the green-robed individual cradling his head, and the black-clad woman reaching towards the heavens – suggests different facets of mourning: physical closeness, tender care, and spiritual supplication. The landscape itself seems to echo the emotional turmoil of the scene, with its jagged rocks and stormy sky contributing to a sense of unease and despair.