Descrizione Lotto
GIACOMO DEL PO’ (Palermo 1654 – Naples, 1726) Scene
depicting the Sorrowful Virgin with Christ taken down from the Cross
Oil on panel, cm. 47.5 x 27.5
cm. Fair condition, with slight signs of ageing in some areas of the painted
surface. A fine painting of a religious subject, attributable to the figurative tradition of the Italian Baroque between the 17th and 18th centuries, executed on panel with remarkable painterly quality and intense emotional expression.
The composition depicts the Sorrowful Virgin holding the lifeless body of Christ, freshly taken down from the Cross, assisted by an angel in the foreground. The scene is steeped in a dramatic atmosphere characterised by strong chiaroscuro, in which the light, skilfully modulated, emerges from the darkness of the background and focuses attention on the principal figures.
The compositional structure, with its pyramidal arrangement, is centred on the vigorous body of Christ, whose anatomical rendering, combined with the monumentality of the figures and the theatricality of their gestures, reveals full adherence to the conventions of Baroque culture. The marked contrast between areas of light and shadow accentuates the poignant dimension of the scene and helps to create a deep emotional engagement.
From a stylistic perspective, the work follows in the tradition of the Roman and Neapolitan Baroque, with references that can be traced back to the circle and influence of painters such as Giacinto Brandi (Rome, 1621–1691), particularly admired for the emotional power of his sacred compositions, and above all Giacomo del Po (Palermo, 1654–Naples, 1726), whose artistic language the work seems to draw upon most clearly.
