Entombment of Christ / Caravaggio
Caravaggio’s 17th-century masterpiece “The Entombment of Christ” is drawing large crowds in Japan, where it is being publicly exhibited in Japan for the first time as part of Expo 2025 in Osaka — an international exhibition focused on science, culture, and the future of global society.
The painting is on display within the Holy See Pavilion, which is joining the international expo for the first time, UCA News reported. Housed inside the Italian Pavilion on Yumeshima Island, the Holy See’s exhibition centers on the theme “Beauty Brings Hope.”
Painted between 1600 and 1604, “The Entombment of Christ” captures the moment Jesus is laid onto the Stone of Anointing, surrounded by figures wracked with grief.
For many visitors, the painting is their first direct encounter with Christian imagery, according to UCA News. A Japanese mother who is Buddhist, recalling a trip to Italy years ago, was moved to see the piece again.
“I’ve heard of Jesus Christ, but I don’t really know the story,” she told UCA News. “But the painting is beautiful.”
As they take in the painting, visitors often murmur Sugoi, a Japanese word expressing amazement, according to UCA News.
Pavilion staffer Yutaro Calindri, who is of Japanese and Italian descent, said the work’s emotional power comes from its realism. Calindri also noted that the painting is displayed at eye level — unusual for an altarpiece that typically hangs high above.
“You can see the wood, the fabric, the shadows, all the small details,” he told the outlet. “It’s a very different experience.”
Calindri also shared about the strong impact people experience in looking at the painting.
“Even if you don’t know the story, you can feel the emotion,” he said. “You don’t need to be Catholic to be moved by this.”
