Het lichaam van Christus ondersteund door engelen

This red chalk drawing shows the lifeless figure of Christ being held upright by two angels. The central figure's heavy, muscular anatomy is emphasized as he slumps forward, while the angels on either side struggle to support his weight. The scene is set against the edge of a simple stone sarcophagus, focusing the viewer's attention on the physical reality of the body and the wound in his side.

Hendrick Goltzius was a central figure of the Haarlem Mannerists, a circle deeply engaged with Neoplatonic thought and the study of human anatomy as a reflection of divine order. In the Western esoteric tradition, the 'Body of Christ' often serves as a metaphor for the alchemical 'King' in a state of mortification or 'nigredo,' representing the essential material undergoing spiritual purification.