Dead Christ Mourned by Angels
Felice Brusasorci
(Italian (Veronese), 1542–1606)
Medium/TechniqueOil on slate
Dimensions33 x 27.3 cm (13 x 10 3/4 in.)
Credit LineGift of Alice DeNormandie Cope
Accession number1989.814
On View
On viewClassificationsPaintings
Collections
This painting entered the museum’s collection as the work of an anonymous Italian artist. It has been attributed to Felice Brusasorci, whose style is indebted to Florentine Mannerism and characterized by elongated figures, twisting lyrical poses, and unnatural use of color. In accordance with contemporary Catholic devotional practices, the faithful would have empathized with Christ’s humanity as conveyed through his pale, stiff, lifeless body. The artist has exploited the unusual slate support, a smooth, dark surface used to enhance the painting’s dramatic night-time effect.
ProvenanceRobert Ulich (b. 1890 - d. 1977), Cambridge, MA; about 1960, from Ulich to Alice DeNormandie Cope (d. 1994), Lincoln, MA; 1989, gift of Alice DeNormandie Cope to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 24, 1990)
Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof
Barbara Longhi