Andrea Mantegna’s Deposition of Christ
Reputed to be lost for centuries, Deposition of Christ is a newly attributed painting by Andrea Mantegna, which illustrates the descent of Jesus Christ from the cross. It will be displayed at the Vatican Museums for a three-month exhibition, “The Mantegna of Pompei. A Rediscovered Masterpiece,” that began on March 20. It is accompanied by a video that illustrates the restoration process.
Albeit sustaining damage, the artwork was designated to the Venetian Renaissance artist after a manicured restoration. After the exhibition, in Room XVII of the Pinacoteca, the Deposition of Christ will be permanently returned to the Sanctuary in Pompeii, housed in a section of the Diocesan Museum.
Last Known Documentation and Journey of Deposition of Christ
The last known documentation of the Deposition of Christ dates back to the 16th century, located at the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore, Naples. In a 1524 letter, Neapolitan humanist Pietro Summonte described it as “a painting, where Our Lord is lifted from the cross and placed in a cloth, by the hand of Mantegna, who, as you know better than the rest of us, is greatly admired for his painting since the revival of antiquity was initiated by him.”
Later, the same painting was found at the Santuario de la Virgen del Rosario de Pompeya, where it remained in obscurity for centuries. Despite being undated, is said to be commissioned between 1496 and 1501. The entire research took place when the Sanctuary shared an image of the artwork online as part of a digitized catalogue of ecclesiastical cultural heritage in Italy.
The news and the images fascinated Stefano De Mieri, a professor, art historian, and researcher at Suor Orsola Benincasa University. In 2020, he debated that Deposition of Christ was an Andrea Mantegna original. In 2021, after inspecting the piece on-site in 2021, De Mieri noted that the fact was ignored as it had undergone significant alterations due to various restorations throughout its history.
The Restoration Process of the Deposition of Christ
In 2022, The Deposition of Christ was transported to Rome for further analysis and conservation. Bishop Tommaso Caputo facilitated the artwork’s notice amongst the curators at the Vatican Museums in March 2022. These specialists examined the canvas in detail using a portable U.V. lamp. There, non-invasive diagnostic imaging and the removal of extensive overpainting in the Vatican Museum laboratories acknowledged it as a painting made by Andrea Mantegna. Mantegna’s original designs and motifs aided the news. The painting was quickly attributed but was revealed only now.
Andrea Mantegna’s Deposition of Christ restoration was carried out in an in-house laboratory under the supervision of the museum’s chief restorer, Francesca Persegati. Tests and analyses conducted by Fabio Morresi from the museum’s Cabinet of Scientific Research confirmed the work as Mantegna’s “without a shadow of a doubt,” according to an official statement.
Andrea Mantegna’s Art Style
Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) was born in the Venetian Republic. His artistic style has classical influences, pensive perspective, and sculptural figures. He revived ancient themes during the Renaissance in Italy. He also made frescoes as an artist serving for the Mantua court.
You may find some of his works at the Louvre, Paris; the National Gallery, London; the Uffizi, Florence; and the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Reports on the Deposition of Christ
The museum’s curator, Fabrizio Biferali said, “Its iconography is linked to Renaissance models and the artist’s typical classicism, with references to antiquity that make it unique in Mantegna’s production. The restoration has clarified that the work is not a copy but an original painting by Mantegna.”
Art Net Reports claims that Jatta spoke, “We immediately understood that under the layers of repainting an extraordinary pictorial material was hidden. The ‘machine’ of the Vatican Museums then started, with diagnostic investigations, research, and restoration.”
Image Courtesy – Vatican Museums
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