The Deposition thumbnail 1
The Deposition thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

The Deposition

Relief
16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In the centre of this relief, the body of Christ is lowered from the cross by five figures on two ladders propped against the cross beam. On the bottom rung of the right hand ladder, a bearded figure with his back turned prepares to receive the corpse. This composition is closely related to a drawing in the Teyler Museum in Haarlem, variously attributed to Michelangelo, Sebastiano del Piombo and Daniele da Volterra.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Relief
  • Frame
TitleThe Deposition
Materials and techniques
Gilded stucco relief on a slate background
Brief description
Relief ‘The Deposition’, gilded stucco on slate, school of Michelangelo, Florence, 16th century
Physical description
Relief in gilded stucco on a slate background in a contemporary painted and inlaid frame. In the centre Christ is being lowered from the Cross by one man astride the cross bean and four others, two on a ladder resting on the left arms and two on a ladder on the right arm of the cross. Another man stands on a ladder holding Christ's right leg. To right and left are groups of mourners.
Dimensions
  • Height: 32.5cm
  • Width: 23cm
Credit line
Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh, F.S.A.
Object history
Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh, F.S.A (bought at Sotheby's 20 May 1927, Lot 39). The relief is said (B.F.A.C Catalogue) to have been in the Sir Thomas Lawrence and Woodburn Collections.
Historical context
The composition is closely related to that shown in a well-known drawing by Michael Angelo in the Teyler Collection at Haarlem which has been ascribed to Michael Angelo (Knapp), to Sebastiano del Piombo (Berenson) and to the School of Michael Angelo (Brinckmann). This gesso bears a close resemblance to a damaged stucco relied in the Museo Buonarrotti in Florence.
Subject depicted
Summary
In the centre of this relief, the body of Christ is lowered from the cross by five figures on two ladders propped against the cross beam. On the bottom rung of the right hand ladder, a bearded figure with his back turned prepares to receive the corpse. This composition is closely related to a drawing in the Teyler Museum in Haarlem, variously attributed to Michelangelo, Sebastiano del Piombo and Daniele da Volterra.
Bibliographic references
  • The Genius of the Sculptor in Michelangelo's Words Exhibition Catalogue, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1992, pp.188-9
  • Lightbown, R. 'Le Cere artistiche del Cinquecento II' in Arte Illustrata. nos. 34-6, Oct-Dec 1970, pp.30-39.
  • Raggio, Olga. The Vatican Collections. New York, 1983, p.114, no. 53.
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Her Majesty's Stationary Office, 1964. pp.434-5
  • Chapman, Hugo. Michelangelo : drawings : closer to the master, London : British Museum Press, 2005 no.73
Collection
Accession number
A.1:1-1941

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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