This picture represents the moment when Christ is being lowered from the cross.
It has a rectangular form with a prominent part in the middle, where the cross is erected. In fact, the cross is the central axis, even though the picture is not symmetrical. In such a little space the painter managed to represent ten people: four on the left, three in the middle and three on the right.
All the figures are somehow related to Christ and all of them are showing their sorrow.
If the cross is the central axis, the figure of Christ draws a diagonal in the middle of the picture which determines the layout of the others. Three of them are situated at Christ's feet on the right of the picture, on the other hand, another three are situated on the left. Mary's body falling on the floor is breaking this symmetry and her body draws another line parallel to the Christ's one.
The bodies are adapted to the shape of the picture, this makes that the display of some figures is distorted and unnatural, as we can see with Mary Magdalene on the right of the picture.
No landscape is represented, but in the foreground, at the bottom, we can distinguish some plants and grass which informs us that this scene happened outdoors. On the floor there are some symbols of death: a skull and a bone.
One of the most impressive things one can perceive watching this picture is the stunning colours used by the painter. Facing a neutral golden background, which can be related to the concept of eternity and holiness, the painter uses a captivating blue whose strength captures all the picture. Beside this captivating blue there is red on the clothes of the man on the left and there are splashes of red throughout all the picture, on the tights and sleeves of the central figure or on Mary Magdalene's sleeves.
Most of the figures are crying, tears have been painted with detail, and their faces show the sorrow they are feeling in that sad moment. The pain is stressed on Mary's face. Her skin is bluish as if she were dead. Christ's body and head also show the wounds produced by the crucifixion, but he is already dead. Neither faith nor resurrection are present in the picture. It seems as if the artist wanted to focus on Christ as a man, surrounded by his family and friends, and far away from God.
