Nicodemus (figure of an Entombment), ca. 1500

After carving or sculpting, wood and limestone sculptures were painted in polychrome or clad in fabric garments. The statue of Nicodemus, a figure from the scene of an entombment, bears traces of paint. In many cases, the early colourful and dazzling appearance of most of these sculptures, which also had a symbolic significance, was lost because the sculptures were badly conserved or due to neglect and changing aesthetic preferences over time. The Iconoclasm during the Protestant Reformation, in the second half of the 16th century, also gave rise to the destruction of sculptures and other art treasures. The remaining artworks were often damaged and dispersed.