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Details
- Other Titles
- Pieta
The Deposition - Dates
- 1543
1563 - Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil on poplar panel
- Dimensions
- 193.0 x 116.5 cm panel; 212.7 x 135.3 x 14.5 cm frame
- Signature & date
Signed and dated l.c., oil "Prosper Fontane/ MDLXIII.".
- Credit
- Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 1994
- Location
- South Building, ground level, Grand Courts
- Accession number
- 219.1994
- Copyright
- Artist information
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Prospero Fontana
Works in the collection
- Share
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About
Prospero Fontana’s altarpiece shows the lamentation
over the dead body of Christ after the Crucifixion.
He is mourned by the Virgin Mary in the centre,
Saint Mary Magdalene on the left and Saint John the
Evangelist on the right. The old men are presumably
Nicodemus (with a jar of spices) and Joseph of
Arimathea (holding the linen cloth to wrap Christ in).
Angels hold the Instruments of the Passion (vinegarsoaked
sponge, nails, crown of thorns and lance).This appears to be the ‘Deposition’ altarpiece by
Fontana described in early sources in the convent of
the Corpus Domini, Bologna. The composition presents
an expressive group of grieving figures tightly clustered
around the dead body of Christ – the ‘Corpus Domini’ to
which the nuns of the convent paid particular devotion. -
Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Great gifts, great patrons, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 Aug 1994–19 Oct 1994
Grand Courts collection rehang, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Nov 2021–2023
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Bibliography
Referenced in 9 publications
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Art Gallery of New South Wales, Great gifts, great patrons: an exhibition celebrating private patronage of the Gallery, Sydney, 1994, (colour illus.). no pagination or catalogue numbers
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Richard Beresford', Look: 1953-2003 celebrating 50 years, 'Transformation: Society's gifts of enriching art from Europe help collection turnaround', pg.45-7, Sydney, May 2003, 47 (colour illus.).
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Vera Fortunati, Vita artistica nel monastero femminile Exempla, 'Ruolo e funzione delle immagini nei monasteri femminili', pg.11-41, Bologna, 2002, 40 (colour illus.), 41. no. 13
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Renée Free, AGNSW Collections, 'The Western Heritage, Renaissance to Twentieth Century', pg. 108-172, Sydney, 1994, 108, 115 (colour illus.).
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Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Western Collection: Paintings and Sculpture', pg. 17-77, Sydney, 1999, 24 (colour illus.).
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Michael Mohi (Editor), The many faces of Christ, Sydney, 2000, 25 (colour illus.).
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Wendy Symonds (Editor), Look, "Prospero Fontana 'Deposition'", Heidelberg, Aug 1994, cover (colour illus.), 12, 13 (colour illus.). cover illustration is a detail
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Judith White, art lovers: the story of the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 1953-2013, Sydney, 2013, pp 115, 121, 242, col illus p 243. 'Chapter 5: Be part of the art 1988-2000' by Judith White, pp 111–38; 'Acquisitions funded by the Art Gallery Society 1953–2013', pp 192–314.
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Judith Wright, Look, 'Building the Collection', pg. 6-7, Melbourne, Apr 1999, 6 (colour illus.).
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Provenance
The provenance of this work is under review and records will be updated as new details become available. The Gallery welcomes any information. Contact provenance@ag.nsw.gov.au
The Church of S. Giacomo, Italy, Almost certainly is the 'Deposition' referred to by two early sources as for the altar of the Church of Corpus Domini, Bologna.
Conte Luigi Salina, circa 1841, Bologna/Italy, by 1841
Whitfield Fine Art, London, pre 26 May 1994, London/England, Purchased by the AGNSW from Whitfield Fine Art 1994.