Sorrow For The Death of Christ

Painted by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, also known as il Sodoma, this panel painting was transferred to canvas in the 20th century by the French Academy. As he is being tenderly taken down from the cross, Christ is covered in a linen sheet brought by Joseph from Arimathea.

Mostly everyone has left the site of the execution in the Calvary, and at the foot of the wooden beam only those closest to Jesus have remained behind.

Six characters, composed in the Mannerist style, surround the body of the Savior. This composition is clearly influenced by Leonardo da Vinci’s chiaroscuro, and the features allude to Raffaelo Sanzio. Here we see John the Evangelist, a beloved disciple.

Nicodemus, The Confessor

Mary Magdalene

Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus

Mary Salomas and Mary of Clopas who is seen in profile covered by a black mantle, are the sisters of the Virgin according to the Apocryphal Gospels, and together, they complete the “Three Marys.”

Il Sodoma learnt this fascinating technique at the lombard school thanks to his first teacher, Martino Spanzotti.

The painting was left exposed in the Santo Domingo chapel and due to the nature of the wood, the panel began to crack and expand.

Today, at the Soumaya Museum’s Conservation Laboratory, this painting is preserved and is undergoing chemical and physical analyses, which allows for continuous research and the sharing of free knowledge.