Title
The dead Christ on the cross with Saints Mary Magdalene, Augustine and Jerome, and angels
circa 1618
Artist
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Details
- Other Title
- The Lowering of the Cross with Sts Mary Magdalene, Augustine, Jerome and Angels
- Date
- circa 1618
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 238.0 x 171.7 cm canvas; 274.5 x 207.5 x 12.5 cm frame
- Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased with funds from the estate of Mr Walter Hartwig through the Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation 2005
- Location
- South Building, ground level, Grand Courts
- Accession number
- 249.2005
- Copyright
- Artist information
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Giulio Cesare Procaccini
Works in the collection
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About
Giulio Cesare Procaccini was one of the leading painters
active in Milan in the early 17th century. This subject
is completely unique. While the deposition of Christ’s
body from the cross was frequently painted, Procaccini
shows Christ’s body still nailed to a cross which is itself
being lowered.Highly unusual is the presence in the same scene,
besides the grieving Magdalene, of two saints,
Augustine and Jerome. Their presence removes the
picture from the realm of pure narrative. The sweetfaced
angel holding the bottom of the cross occupies an
intermediary no-man’s land between our world and that
of the grieving saints, inviting the viewer to contemplate
the mystery depicted. -
Exhibition history
Shown in 4 exhibitions
Important Italian Baroque paintings, The Matthiesen Gallery, London, 19 Jun 1981–01 Aug 1981
2001, an art odyssey: Classicism, Mannerism, Caravaggism and Baroque, The Matthiesen Gallery, London, 2001–2001
European Old Masters 16th-19th Century from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Hazelhurst Arts Centre, , 28 Sep 2017–03 Dec 2017
Grand Courts collection rehang, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Nov 2021–2023
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Bibliography
Referenced in 13 publications
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Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales annual report 2005, Sydney, 2005, p 20.
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Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales annual report 2006, Sydney, 2006, pp 12, 14, 25, 73, col illus p 13.
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Richard Beresford, Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation Newsletter 7, 'New acquisition: Giulio Cesare Procaccini The lowering of the cross with Saints Mary Magdalen, Augine, Jerome and Angels', Sydney, Dec 2005, pp [2]–[3], col illus p [3].
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Marco Bona Castellotti (Editor), La pittura Lombarda del '600, Milan, 1985, col illus unnumbered plate, b&w illus pl 492.
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Hugh Brigstocke, Revue de l'Art, no. 48, 'G C Procaccini et D Crespi: nouvelles découvertes', 1980, pp 30–39: p 36, fig 17, illus p 35.
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Hugh Brigstocke, Revue de l'Art, no. 85, 'Giulio Cesare Procaccini (1574–1625): ses attaches génoises et quelques autres faits nouveaux', 1989, pp 45–60: p 52.
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Hugh Brigstocke, Procaccini in America, New York, 2002, p 41, illus p 160.
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Marco Rosci, Giulio Cesare Procaccini, 1993, p 108, fig 27, illus p 108.
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Sebastian Smee, The Australian, 'Old master gives new guts to "polite" collection', Sydney, 26 Aug 2005, p 3. 'Correction', The Australian, 27–28 Aug 2005, p 2.
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The Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation and Michael Brand, Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation: Celebrating 30 years of art acquisitions, Sydney, 2015, p 32, col illus p 32.
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The Matthiesen Gallery, 2001, an art odyssey: Classicism, Mannerism, Caravaggism and Baroque, London, 2001, pp 204–14, no 23, col illus.
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Jane Wynter (Editor), Foundation Newsletter #13, Sydney, Dec 2008, np.
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Important Italian Baroque paintings, London, 1981, pp 54–57, no 20, col illus p 55, details illus pp 56, 57.
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Provenance
Giovanni Carlo Doria, circa 1618, Genoa/Italy, Probably painted for Procaccini’s Genoese patron Giovanni Carlo Doria.
Private Collection
The Matthiesen Gallery, By 1981, London/England
Private Collection, Jersey/Channel Islands
The Matthiesen Gallery, By 2005, London/England, Purchased by the Art Gallery of NSW, 28 June 2005.