Mourning Over the Body of Jesus

16th century

Italian 16th Century

Associated Names
The rectangular relief sculpture depicts a dramatic and dynamic scene involving multiple figures. The figures are in various poses, with some raising their arms dramatically while others appear to be supporting a central fallen figure. The sculpture is made of dark bronze material, giving it a uniform color with highlights that accentuate the three-dimensional details of the figures' clothing and expressions. Each person in the scene appears to be intricately carved with detailed facial features and flowing garments, giving the impression of movement within a chaotic or emotional scene. The relief provides a sense of depth and complexity through its composition and the overlapping figures, all engaged in a powerful communal expression.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze//Red-brown patina

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 12.7 x 19.6 cm (5 x 7 11/16 in.) gross weight: 354 gr

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.590


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 1945 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1951

  • National Gallery of Art. Renaissance Bronzes: Statuettes, Reliefs and Plaquettes, Medals and Coins from the Kress Collection. Introduction by Perry B. Cott. Washington, 1951: 158.

1965

  • Pope-Hennessy, John W. Renaissance Bronzes from the Samuel H. Kress Collection: Reliefs, Plaquettes, Statuettes, Utensils and Mortars. London, 1965: no. 45.

2003

  • Gregori, Mina, ed. In the Light of Apollo: Italian Renaissance and Greece. 2 vols. Exh. cat. National Gallery and Alexandros Souzos Museum, Athens, 2003-2004: 1:283.

2020

  • Malgouyres, Philippe. De Filarete à Riccio. Bronzes italiens de la Renaissance (1430-1550). La collection du musée du Louvre. Paris, 2020: 93, describing the NGA example as an aftercast of a plaquette in the Louvre that replicates a lost original.

Wikidata ID

Q63814936

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