The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb by Hans Holbein the Younger was painted between 1520 and 1522 in oil on panel. This work was created during Holbein’s early maturity, a period when he was active in Basel and developing his distinctive approach to religious subjects. The painting is notable for its unflinching realism and belongs to a tradition of devotional images intended to provoke meditation on the suffering and mortality of Christ. The panel presents the body of Christ laid out horizontally, occupying nearly the entire width of the composition.

Christ’s emaciated form is depicted with anatomical precision, showing the wounds of the Crucifixion and a greenish pallor suggestive of death. The figure is set against a dark, shallow background with a stone slab beneath, and a simple white shroud partially covers the lower body. The lighting is stark, emphasizing the contours and rigidity of the corpse, while the subdued color palette reinforces the somber mood. Why it was painted is unknown—suggestions include a predella for an altarpiece or a decoration for a tomb—and it later belonged to the Amerbach Cabinet in Basel.

It was later held in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Basel, where it remains today. Over the centuries, the work has been recognized for its striking naturalism and psychological intensity, influencing both contemporaries and later artists in their treatment of religious themes.