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This work, like its counterpant, the relief "Christ before Pilate" comes from Eger's Museum of Archbishopry Lyceum. It was founded by Lengyel László. It was restored by József Lakatos in 1992-93, whereby large parts of its rear left and right sides were replaced.
The relief represents the scene following the taking down of body of Christ from the cross, which is not mentioned in the biblical text. The weeping Mary is sitting at the feet of the Mount Golgotha, embraced by the Apostle John. At the right of the relief the items associated with Passion of Christ are lying on the grund, and in the background the buildings of Jerusalem can be seen. At the left Mary Magdalen is weeping on a stone.
Although in its theme not obviously related to the scene of "Christ before Pilate", the relief's dimensions and composition are so similar to those of the previous one, that they can be considered counterparts. Like its counterpart, this work is closely related to a wax relief of Donner, which came from the estate of Donner's brother, Matthäus, to the collection of Vienna's Hauptmünzamt, and from there to the Österreichisches Barockmuseum. A related was relief is kept in Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum, and a marble copy from unknown follower of Donner in Klosterneuburg Stiftsmuseum.
The work exhibited here is almost identical with the wax relief from the estate of Matthäus Donner, but it was certainly cast with another mould. The crown of thorns, which in the Viennese relief Mary holds on her knee, is entirely missing in the Eger version, and also the silhouettes of buildings in the background are different. The shaping of the figures in generally less hesitant, and the modelling of their clothes is richer. On the basis of these differences, the Eger relief cannot be considered a mere sketch for an unknown work. The central group with the figure of the weeping Mary is repeated several time in Donner's "oeuvre", but mostly with a tall angel in the place of St. John. The half sitting, half lying figure of Mary Magdalen was formed after the models of Giambologna and his circle.
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