![](http://ephraimriceart.co.uk/artists/simonricei/thumbs1/customimages/Deposition .jpg) In 2018, I began a painting that would be far larger than any I had previously attempted, and with no time limit for completion. I did not know what the painting would be about. Whilst walking in the countryside one day, I came across an old barn and thought this could be where Christ was born. I thought I might paint a nativity scene but then came across a painting of the taking down of Christ from the cross, and decided this would be more interesting.
The figures began to emerge very loosely on the canvas.
I liked them but they were going nowhere. I become frustrated and graffitied the canvas ![](http://ephraimriceart.co.uk/artists/simonricei/thumbs1/customimages/IMG_0765.jpg) After that I felt liberated. The painting then became very dark I used models for the characters in the painting, those who were at the scene at the time. This model became Mary Magalene ![](http://ephraimriceart.co.uk/artists/simonricei/thumbs1/customimages/IMG_0186.jpg)
![](http://ephraimriceart.co.uk/artists/simonricei/thumbs1/customimages/IMG_1209 (1).jpg) Gradually, the figures started to reappear on the canvas, and the final picture began to emerge. ![](http://ephraimriceart.co.uk/artists/simonricei/thumbs1/customimages/IMG_2325.jpg) The painting took me about 3 years to complete. I tried not to compromise, sometimes it took me ages to get a face right. Apologies for the images being sideways, I'm hopeless at IT!
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