Immerzeel, ii. 309; Kramm, v. 1284; Quellenschriften, xiv. 258; Kugler (Crowe), ii. 521.
PIETÀ, (pity, compassion), the lamentation
of the Virgin and the Holy Women
over the deposed body of Christ. The incident
is not mentioned in the Gospels, but
is a late invention of art.
By Giovanni Bellini, Brera, Milan; wood, tempera, half-lengths, life-size. The dead body of Christ, sustained in a standing position, behind a marble parapet, by the Virgin and St. John. Fine work of the master's early time; formerly in Zampieri Collection, Bologna; presented to Brera in 1811 by Eugène Beauharnais, then Viceroy of Italy.—C. & C, N. Italy, iii. 144; Meyer, Künst. Lex, iii. 414.
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Pietà, Correggio, Parma Gallery.
By Correggio, Parma Gallery, canvas. The body of Christ, after the descent from the cross, in the lap of Mary; weeping Magdalen at the Saviour's feet, and other mourners by his head; Joseph of Arimathea descending ladder, whence the picture is sometimes called Vierge de l'Échelle (of the Ladder). Painted at same time as Martyrdom of Sts. Placidus and Flavia (1522-24). Old copy, attributed to Correggio, in Madrid Museum. Engraved by Rosaspina, Hubert, and Ravenet.—Meyer, Correggio, 305, 480; Künst. Lex, i.; Landon, Œuvres, viii. Pl. 14; Landon, Musée, x. Pl. 3.
By Anton van Dyck, Munich Gallery; canvas, H. 6 ft. 1 in. × 4 ft. 6 in. The Virgin, seated at foot of a rock, and St. John kneeling by her side, support between them the body of Christ; behind, one of the holy women wringing her hands; in foreground, emblems of the crucifixion. Sketch in Munich Gallery.—Eastlake, Notes, 70.
By Anton van Dyck, Munich Gallery; wood, H. 3 ft. 5 in. × 4 ft. 7 in. The body of Christ extended on drapery on the ground, the upper part resting on the knees of the Virgin, behind whom is the cross; at left, three angels; above, in clouds at right, three cherubim. Sketch also in Munich Gallery. Same composition (1 ft. × 1 ft. 6 in), Louvre. Engraved by Vosterman; Viennot; J. Smith; Normand; Schiavonetti; Chr. de Méchel.—Smith, iii. 16; Gal. de Düsseldorf, Pl. 70; Guiffrey, 249; Filhol, xi. Pl. 50; Klas. der Malerei, Pl. 15; Eastlake, Notes, 71; Landon, Musée, v. Pl. 3.
By Quinten Massys, Antwerp Museum; wood, triptych, centre panel, H. 8 ft. 6 in. × 6 ft. 9 in.; wings, H. 8 ft. 6 in. × 3 ft. 10 in. Centre: The body of Christ mourned over by his friends and the holy women; the Virgin, overcome with grief, is supported by John; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus sustain the head and the upper part of the body, whilst the holy women anoint the wounds of the Saviour. Right wing, face: the head of John Baptist is placed on the table of Herod, while musicians play on an elevated platform; do, reverse, St. John Baptist. Left wing, face: John Evangelist in the caldron of boiling oil, under which executioners stir up the fire; do., reverse, St. John Evangelist. Ordered in 1508 by the carpenters' guild of Antwerp for their altar in Notre Dame, where it remained until 1580, when it was removed to the
