Pieta

c. 1580

South German 16th Century (Possibly Augsburg)

Associated Names
South German 16th Century

Sculptor

The sculpture depicts a scene with two primary human figures. A draped female figure is holding and leaning over the limp, lifeless body of a male figure. The figures are intricately detailed, with the male's muscular form and the female's flowing garments prominently highlighted. The background features a detailed landscape with buildings, towers, winding pathways, and hills. The color of the sculpture is a lustrous gold. The relief-style sculpture is flat but gives the appearance of depth through detailed etching and the layering of elements.

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On View

West Building Main Floor, Gallery M27

Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Dr. Antal Geber [1879-1962], Budapest, Hungary, by 1924; gift 1946 to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Geber, Chevy Chase, Maryland; gift 1989 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1924

  • Budapest Collectors' Medal and Plaquette Exhibit, Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, 1924, no. 2458 (cat. by K. Csánsyi).

1930

  • Ausstellung Alter Kirchlicher Kunst, Iparmüvészeti Muzeum, Budapest, 1930, no. 145, pl. 19.

1991

  • Art for the Nation: Gifts in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1991, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

1998

  • A Collector's Cabinet, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1998, no. 99, as Pietà, after El German, German (possibly Augsburg).

Bibliography

1947

  • Aggházy, Mária. "Pietà; Egy barokk motivumvándorlás kerdése," Regnum 6 (1947): 3-13, esp. 5-6, no. II.3, 8, fig. 9.

1975

  • Weber, Ingrid. Deutsche, Niederländische und Französische Renaissanceplaketten 1500-1650. Munich, 1975: 1:232-233, no. 452, note.

1989

  • Geber, Anthony. "Name Inscriptions: Solution or Problem?." In Italian Plaquettes. Ed. by Alison Luchs. Studies in the History of Art 22 (1989): 254-259, fig. 12.

2007

  • Zanuso, Susanna. "Scuola italiana del XVI secolo, Pietà." In Di Lorenzo, Andrea, and Frangi, Francesco, eds. La raccolta Mario Scaglia: Dipinti e sculture, medaglie e placchette da Pisanello a Ceruti. Exh. cat. Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan, 2007: 130.

2017

  • Riddick, Michael. "A renowned Pieta by Jacob Cornelis Cobaert, after a design by Guglielmo della Porta." Renaissance Bronze, posted online July 16, 2017: 1-16, repros. 3, 10, 11.

Wikidata ID

Q63860696

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