Nicodemus (figure from a Compianto - Mourning the Dead Christ) La Maddalena e Nicodemo

This wooden statue,
like the statue depicting Magdalene, was part of a Compianto (Mourning the Dead Christ) a polychrome sculptural group
typical of sacred art from the 14th century, showing Christ taken from the
Cross surrounded by seven figures).
The entire work, which also included the figures of
the Virgin, of St. John, of Mary Magdalene, of Nicodemus and of Joseph of
Arimathea, was sculpted by Lombard sculptor Giovanni Angelo del Maino.
It is thought that the composition remained whole until the 1920s-1930s and was
then broken up for various private collections. In
this depiction of Nicodemus, who traditionally was said to have extracted the
nails from Christ's feet, the detailed workmanship is striking: we can
distinguish the veins on his face standing out below the hairline, depicted
with impressive realism, while the torsion of his bust adds drama to the entire
figure. According to a fairly widespread tradition, the statue had a
polychrome finish, which intensified its impact.

The sculptural group
called "Mourning the Dead Christ" was composed of seven figures
surrounding Christ deposed from the Cross: the Madonna, Mary Magdalene, St.
John, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and two pious women. The group has been broken up and the other pieces are
currently in private collections, the location of the two Pious Women being
unknown. The function of the ‘lamentation' was
instructive, intended to provoke a reaction of participating in the grief for
the death of Christ. All the figures, therefore, had to have very
intense expressions.