Pietà
oil on panel, 66.5 x 48.4 cm, unframed

The present painting is a copy with minor variations, in mirror image, of a painting by Paolo Veronese, now in the Hermitage in St Petersburg. The latter painting, a monumental work of 147 x 112 cm, is one of the most impressive works from Veronese’s late period of circa 1580. It was spotted and first mentioned by Vincenzo Borghini, in 1584, in the Venetian church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Being a famous work of art, Veronese’s picture was sold in the early seventeenth century, and passed through France and from there to St Petersburg, where it arrived in 1772. When it was still in Venice, Veronese’s picture was faithfully copied by Agostino Carracci in a print dated 1582.

Compared to Veronese’s original and the Carracci print, the present picture reveals some differences (apart from the fact that it is mirror imaged, which would seem to indicate that it was copied from another printed copy, as yet unknown). Most obviously, Christ’s head in the present picture is turned towards the right instead of leaning towards the supporting angel. It is interesting to note, however, that close inspection reveals that the position of the head was changed in the copy; originally it corresponded to that in Veronese’s original. Also, the head of the Virgin Mary is shown more frontally than is the case in the painting by Veronese. Finally, and most interestingly, the arma Christi, in the lower right corner, figure much more prominently here than in Veronese’s original composition. Clearly, the unknown copyist interpreted the picture in his own way, dramatizing the scene even more and emphasizing the Passion iconography. As for the author of the present picture, the precise underdrawing, which is visible at some places, might indicate a Northern European hand, but it is impossible to be more precise in this respect.

We are grateful to Bernard Aikema for cataloguing the present painting.

The present painting is a copy with minor variations, in mirror image, of a painting by Paolo Veronese, now in the Hermitage in St Petersburg. The latter painting, a monumental work of 147 x 112 cm, is one of the most impressive works from Veronese’s late period of circa 1580. It was spotted and first mentioned by Vincenzo Borghini, in 1584, in the Venetian church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Being a famous work of art, Veronese’s picture was sold in the early seventeenth century, and passed through France and from there to St Petersburg, where it arrived in 1772. When it was still in Venice, Veronese’s picture was faithfully copied by Agostino Carracci in a print dated 1582.

Compared to Veronese’s original and the Carracci print, the present picture reveals some differences (apart from the fact that it is mirror imaged, which would seem to indicate that it was copied from another printed copy, as yet unknown). Most obviously, Christ’s head in the present picture is turned towards the right instead of leaning towards the supporting angel. It is interesting to note, however, that close inspection reveals that the position of the head was changed in the copy; originally it corresponded to that in Veronese’s original. Also, the head of the Virgin Mary is shown more frontally than is the case in the painting by Veronese. Finally, and most interestingly, the arma Christi, in the lower right corner, figure much more prominently here than in Veronese’s original composition. Clearly, the unknown copyist interpreted the picture in his own way, dramatizing the scene even more and emphasizing the Passion iconography. As for the author of the present picture, the precise underdrawing, which is visible at some places, might indicate a Northern European hand, but is impossible to be more precise in this respect.

We are grateful to Bernard Aikema for cataloguing the present painting.