Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze

by Michael Riddick Fig. 1: A bronze Pieta pax, attributed here to Jacopo and/or Ludovico del Duca, ca. 1580 (private collection)

MICHELANGELO’S PIETA IN BRONZE

The small bronze Pieta relief cast integrally with its frame for use as a pax (Fig. 1) follows after a prototype by Michelangelo (1475-1564) made during the early Fig. 2: A sketch (graphite and watercolor) of the Pieta, 1540s. Michelangelo created the Pieta for Vittoria attributed to Marcello Venusti, after Michelangelo Colonna (1492-1547),1 an esteemed noblewoman with (© Teylers Museum; Inv. A90) whom he shared corresponding spiritual beliefs inspired by progressive Christian reformists. Michelangelo’s Pieta relates to Colonna’s Lamentation on the Passion of Pieta was likely inspired by Colonna’s writing, evidenced Christ,2 written in the early 1540s and later published in through the synchronicity of his design in relationship 3 1556. In her Lamentation Colonna vividly adopts the role with Colonna’s prose. of Mary in grieving the death of her son. Michelangelo’s

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 2 Michael Riddick Fig. 3: An incomplete marble relief of the Pieta, after Michelangelo (left; Vatican); a marble relief of the Pieta, after Michelangelo, ca. 1551 (right, Santo Spirito in Sassia)

Michelangelo’s original Pieta for Colonna is a debated Agostino Carracci (1557-1602) in 1579.5 By the mid-16th subject. Traditional scholarship suggests a sketch at century Michelangelo’s Pieta for Colonna was widely the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is the original celebrated and diffused through prints as well as painted he made for her while others propose a panel painting and sketched copies. supported by additional contemporary sources which discuss it. The documentary evidence suggests The bronze pax version of Michelangelo’s Pieta is of Roman origin, also being the locus of the Colonna, later given by her to their mutual friend, the original conception of its design.6 Only one dated Cardinal Reginald Pole, in 1546.4 Prior to its change in example of the pax is known at the Basilica della ownership, the subject was doubtless copied in sketched Santa Casa in Loreto, featuring the inscription: form by Michelangelo and others close to his circle. A IO.D.BASTIANO.D.NARDI,F.1586. The Pieta pax sketch attributed to Marcello Venusti (1510-79) at the design diverges from sketched, painted and engraved Teylers Museum (Fig. 2) is the likely prototype for a 1546 versions and more closely follows two stone reliefs of engraved reproduction of the subject by Giulio Bonasone the subject which are faithfully linked to Michelangelo: (1498-1574). A further 1547 engraved reproduction, following after Bonasone’s, was executed by Nicolas the Santo Spirito in Sassia, ca. 1551 (Fig. 3). Both reliefs Beatrizet (1507-65) and later printed editions were made have been associated with Michelangelo’s assistants, by Giovan Battista de Cavalieri (1526-97) in 1560 and with proposals for Pierino da Vinci (1529-53) or Jacopo

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 3 Michael Riddick del Duca (1520-1604) as their authors.7 Charles de Tolnay has commented on the distinction of two Pieta prototypes noting the differences between the sculpted and drafted versions. The prime distinction between each prototype regards the putto on the right who faces the viewer on sculpted versions and is turned toward Christ on drafted examples.8

The bronze Pieta treatment of Mary’s collar as portrayed on the stone reliefs and her brooch featuring a winged cherub head engraved and sketched versions. Further related to the stone reliefs are the exposed feet of Mary and the previously noted putto on the right who faces the viewer. Unique to the bronze relief, however, is Mary’s tilted head and the alternate feature of the right putto’s proper left-leg which is instead shown extending into the scene.

Though late 16th century was home to a quantity of bronze founders, Charles Avery has suggested the Pieta relief may be indebted to the Duca brothers, Jacopo and Ludovico (1551-1601).9 10 In addition to the stone relief’s previously noted association with Jacopo, the brothers also experimented with Michelangelo’s Pieta subject in bronze. Jacopo borrows the depiction of Mary for a bronze Lamentation relief panel on a tabernacle at the Church of San Lorenzo in Padula (Fig. 4). The tabernacle was originally connected with Michelangelo’s designs for an unrealized tabernacle intended for the Sta Maria degli Angeli, to be designed by him and cast by Jacopo.11 Though abandoned, Jacopo resurrected the tabernacle for a project later intended for Spain’s El Escorial. The project was Fig. 4: A bronze relief panel of the Lamentation by Jacopo del Duca, featured on a tabernacle at the Church of San Lorenzo completed and sold to the Church in Padula.12 Jacopo’s in Padula, ca. 1573-74

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 4 Michael Riddick Fig. 5: A bronze relief panel of the Lamentation by Ludovico del Duca, ca. 1587-89, on a tabernacle for the Sta Maria Maggiore in Rome (left); detail of a bronze Pieta pax attributed to the Duca brothers (private collection)

Lamentation relief was made ca. 1574 when the the Pieta pax (Fig. 5). Additionally, the period in which !"R% in Padula. More than a decade later, Jacopo shared with the dated example of the Pieta pax, ca. 1586-89. the panel molds of the Padula tabernacle with Ludovico for his work on the Sta Maria Maggiore tabernacle in Of all Roman founders, Jacopo would have especially Rome, ca. 1587-89.13!"R RPieta in bronze, model of the Lamentation having served as his bronze founder and assistant that correspondences can be established with the R! Pieta pax. In particular, of his projects after his death. Jacopo’s immediate !RLamentation panel, Mary’s slightly access to and use of Michelangelo’s designs and $ Ludovico’s similar use of them increase the probability thickly incised lines that correspond with the manner of their workshop was responsible for the fabrication of the

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 5 Michael Riddick Fig. 7: Detail of a bronze Pieta pax attributed to the Duca brothers (left; private collection); detail of Giovanni Mangone’s 1538 monument to Cardinal Lorenzo Magalotti at the Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome (right); detail of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam ,ca. 1511-12 (bottom; Sistine Chapel, Rome)

be married with a celebrated design by him. Further, Giuseppe Fazio has called attention to the frame’s similarity with Jacopo’s design for the portal of the Church of Santa Maria in Trivio, Rome (Fig. 6), though it lacks the standard, triangular pediment. Fig. 6: Jacopo del Duca’s portal for the Church of Santa Maria in Trivio, Rome Francesco Rossi notes the image of the Father, featured in the tympanum of the pax, recalls a relief Pieta pax. The quantity of surviving examples suggests of the same subject by Giovanni Mangone (d. 1543) their serial nature, which would have provided tertiary in his 1538 monument to Cardinal Lorenzo Magalotti revenue for the workshop through sales to ecclesiastic at the Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome and clients, donors and private households.14 likewise on a monument dedicated to Cardinal Willem van Enckevoirt at the Santa Maria dell’Anima, also in Nurturing an association of the pax with the Duca Rome and completed around the same time.16 The Duca brothers is William Wixom’s observation that the frame is brothers could have drawn local inspiration from these based on Michelangelo’s 1561 designs for the tombs perhaps with a mindfulness that this model of God in Rome, a project that Jacopo was closely involved with the Father recalls Michelangelo’s painted depiction as his assistant.15 In honor of his master, it is sensible of God in the Creation of Adam in the Sistine Chapel that a Michelangelo-inspired architectural device would (Fig. 7).

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 6 Michael Riddick Avery has also drawn attention to a stylistically related Typical of widely diffused plaquettes and paxes, the and similarly diffused17 gilt bronze lockplate of Roman Pieta design is known by a quantity of faithful and origin, ca. 1580s-90s, judged by him to emanate from embellished aftercasts as well as several copied the same workshop as the Pieta pax. Jeremy Warren variations. Contemporary casts of the pax are frequently likewise comments on the parallel architectural forms gilt, sometimes inclusive also of the reverse and handle and stylistic relationships between the pax frame and the characteristics of the lockplate, calling attention to the and subtle hammering. Inscribed versions referencing facial features of the herms on the pax and those of the donors often appear equally crisp in quality; however, &18 A relationship with an applique they almost exclusively feature some open-work of Mary on a ca. 1565 silver processional cross by treatment within the architecture of the frame, typically Jacopo at the Rieti Cathedral may also be noted (Fig. 8). within the arches of the tympanum.19

Fig. 8: A bronze hasp and lockplate attributed to Ludovico and/or Jacopo del Duca, ca. 1580s (left; private collection); detail of a silver processional cross by Jacopo del Duca, ca. 1565, at the Rieti Cathedral (right)

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 7 Michael Riddick Inscribed examples of the pax include a privately held monogrammed example: F.A.R.F.F.20; an example in the Scaglia collection inscribed: DONVS LEONARDVS POTIER21'*! referring to the cleric Leonardo Potier who was present at the creation of a chaplaincy in favor of the Bonifaci family of Sermoneta on August 11 156722 23; an example from the Buttazzoni collection (ex-Imbert collection), with the inscription: DNS FAVSTVS BRIXI F.F whose donor, Master Fausto, was from Brescia; an example from the Vasset collection with the inscription: HIE. MELCHIOR.EPVS.MACERATEN, referring to Gerolamo Melchiorri who served as Bishop of Macerata between 1553-73; and the earlier noted pax at the Santa Casa in Loreto, inscribed: IO.D.BASTIANO.D.NARDI.F.1586, which Troncavini has revealed to have probably been commissioned by Sebastiano Nardi as a votive offering to Antonio da Leonessa, a Franciscan monk who lived in the second half of the sixteenth century, admired for his prophecy, miracles and healings and who had given encouragement to Nardi during his imprisonment for treason. Troncavini cites the published Annals of the Capuchin Friars Minor24 documenting the story and Fig. 9: A freehand Pieta pax (Diocese of Isernia-Venafro), followed by a successive event dated 1587, suggesting after Michelangelo, last quarter of the 16th century, probably Antonio’s consolation of Nardi happened just prior to from the Roman workshop of Sebastiano Torrigiani $+/<=$ the pax.25 Several divergent later examples of the Pieta pax are noteworthy such as a unique cast at the Casa

Two later casts belonging to churches within the Diocese Buonarroti and one at a church within the Diocese of of Piacenza-Bobbio feature inscriptions along their base. Piacenza-Bobbio which feature blue enameling in the One is a silvered example, illegible due to the quality of recesses of the pax. An example at a church within the photo observed, and another reads: COMMENDO the Diocese of Siena-Colle di Val d’Elsa-Montalcino VOBIS PACEM CONCORDIAM, also adding a dove adds a cross, now broken, atop the center shell niche. applique atop the cross in the relief’s upper register. An example in a church within the Diocese of Bologna features a wholly different frame with the plaquette incorporating an extended upper register with an arched

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 8 Michael Riddick Vignola for the bedroom of Cardinal Ranuccio

Fig. 10: A gilt bronze Deposition pax attributed here to originally suited for a Deposition scene, to be discussed. Ludovico and/or Jacopo del Duca, second half of the ?!$ 16th century (© Ashmolean Museum) accompany the original prototype of this frame (see Fig. 10) are replaced instead by plain columns. The top. A unique cast at the Metropolitan Museum of Art present author counts eight examples of this variant.29 >& Peter, coinciding with an inscription along its base: Two independent later casts of the Pieta relief, free of SOCIETAS.S.PETRI., apparently commissioned by the their frames, are known: one formerly in the Bardini Society of St. Peter, possibly in Rome.26 collection, probably intended for setting into a desktop object judging by the extended lower margin featuring A late variant noted only by Warren27 and Troncavini28 a support lip and another previously undocumented features the Pieta integrally cast with a related frame example in the present author’s collection which once

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 9 Michael Riddick formed the lid to a desk casket judging by the integral the Duca brothers (Fig. 10). The inspiration for the hinge on its reverse and heavily rubbed surface. $! and caryatids, may also have its impetus in an engraved A quantity of freehand versions of the relief are known, @ the most common of which is a Venetian variant, to be Barozzi da Vignola (1507-73) for the bedroom of discussed. However, worthy of initial note is a unique Cardinal Ranuccio37 (Fig. 11), reproduced in Vignola’s silver gilt pax belonging to a church within the Diocese celebrated 1562 publication of his Canon of the Five of Isernia-Venafro (Fig. 9). This divergent example Orders of Architecture. follows the typology of engraved reproductions of the Pieta and of particular note is its accompanying frame Other characteristics suggest a relationship of this pax which lies in the posthumous ambit of Guglielmo della with the same workshop responsible for the Pieta paxes. Porta’s workshop and could belong to Sebastiano One observation is its uniform integration of the relief Torrigiani’s (d. 1596) workmanship.30 Torrigiani was with the frame, gilt obverse on contemporary casts and Ludovico’s collaborator on the Sta Maria Maggiore scarcity of independent examples.38 tabernacle31 and their partnership on the project may have entitled Torrigiani to experiment with the subject. The open-work tympanum on both paxes is synchronous Two crude silver aftercasts of this variant are known32 and the use of the Pieta%! but are instead featured with a different widely diffused of the Deposition’s pax frame39 also speaks to a possible pax frame originating with Guglielmo and Torrigiani’s activity.33

A quantity of diverse 18th century freehand silver paxes of the subject are found throughout churches in Italy34 and an interesting example judged ca. 1560-70, at a church within the Diocese of Trento, features the scene in an octagonal relief set into an elaborate pax with attractive marble inlays. A crude free version of the relief at the Gomez-Moreno Museum is purposed as a tabernacle door.

A DEPOSITION PAX

Troncavini has called attention to the relationship of another less common pax35 whose frame also parallels Fig. 12: Pax handle of a bronze Pieta pax (left; private Jacopo’s portal for the Church of Santa Maria in Trivio, collection); pax handle of a bronze Deposition pax 36 Rome. The pax features a Deposition whose stylistic (© Ashmolean Museum), both attributed here to the Duca brothers

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 10 Michael Riddick Fig. 13: A gilt bronze Venetian Pieta and pax frame, ca. 1608 (private collection; © Cambi asta d’arte, Milan)

relationship as the crude casts we observe might point to Pieta Dusmet $$ Fig. 14: The , terracotta relief, attributed to Jacopo del Duca, ca. 1565 (Palazzo Barberini, Rome) or possibly the product of workshop descendants. Although the type of foliated handles featured on both paxes are related, in particular, the winklepicker-shaped base (Fig. 12), the style of the handle itself is common to THE VENETIAN PIETA a diverse array of 16th century paxes.

Possibly the earliest association between Michelangelo’s An example of the Deposition pax at the Bowdoin Pieta in bronze and the Duca brothers was forwarded College Museum of Art is inscribed: .IO.ANTONIVS. by Maria Accascina’s attribution of a slightly later PETRASANTA and another later cast is inscribed along and half as common41 freehand variant of the relief its architrave: S.STEFANO at the Budapest Museum of (Fig. 13) attributed by her to Ludovico.42 Operating Fine Art.40 from knowledge of only one example of this variant,43

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 11 Michael Riddick terracotta Pieta at the Palazzo Barberini in Rome44 (Fig. 14), attributed by Paola Berardi to Jacopo, ca. 1565.45 Fazio observes the terracotta’s congruence with the plaquette varying only in the characteristics of its upper register. Most notable are the clouds which replace terracotta relief. While the terracotta Pieta provides a model for the plaquette, the treatment of the plaquette’s vermiculate clouds and increased Mannerist tendencies point to the product of a Venetian workshop, active from the 1590s through the 1620s, known to have serially produced paxes for private and public devotional use. The hallmark of this workshop is the intensely Mannerist style pax frames46 they produced, known to alternately feature a variety of plaquettes of Venetian origin.47 The scale of the Venetian Pieta plaquette was tailored Q existing pax frame.

The frame is commonly found featuring a plaquette of the of the Virgin, possibly originally Fig. 15: A large freehand bronze Pieta, anonymous conceived with the frame48 and produced probably after (follower of Jacopo del Duca?), ca. 1565 (Gomez-Moreno 1582 when the Chapel of the was completed in Museum; © Fundacion Rodriguez-Acosta) Venice. While the maker of the Coronation of the Virgin $ 'R the ambit of Alessandro Vittoria (1525-1608) borrowing to the relief’s connection with the Duca brothers. This " freehand variant of the subject diverges from the earlier Sansovino (1486-1570), Michelangelo and Bartolomeo Roman design with the right putto’s leg bent at an Ammannati (1511-92). angle rather than extending forward and Mary’s head centered rather than tilted. Clouds have been added In addition to the Coronation of the Virgin, other to the scene, as well as the sun, moon and a titulus is stylistically related plaquettes belonging to the same %&K!$! master49 are incorporated with this frame as well as more conforming to the stone reliefs than the Roman designs by other artists50 possibly active or collaborating Pieta pax. It is probable its author had access to an early with the same workshop or perhaps products realized prototype, notably one forwarded by Fazio as a freehand by assistants following the death of their master.

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 12 Michael Riddick The Venetian Pieta may be one such product as the rendering of the clouds appear related to the workshop’s master but not by him.

Several dated examples of the Venetian pax frame offer insight into its historical use and production. The earliest dated example is in the Venetian Treasury of the Frari, dated 1595. Two examples featuring the Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John, are dated 1608.51 Another featuring the Coronation of the Virgin belongs to a church within the Diocese of Bologna, also dated 1608. An example in the present author’s collection, featuring a silver plaquette of the features a dedication and the year 1624 inscribed on its reverse, suggesting its use into the 1620s and supporting the notion future assistants may have continued the workshop’s activities.

The creation of the Venetian Pieta may rest in the ambit of 1608 when this workshop appears most active. It would also perhaps entitle the workshop to more readily take the reins on reproducing this motif since by 1604 the Duca brothers appear to have been deceased.

Pieta, A distinct version of the Venetian Pieta pax, formerly in Fig. 16: A freehand carved rock crystal in a gilt bronze pax frame, anonymous (after Jacopo del Duca), ca. 1550-1600 the Adams collection, features an added bronze appliqué (© Victoria & Albert Museum; Inv. A.1-1943) central base, possibly a later addition.

Later cast examples of the Venetian Pieta are known, some cast integrally with their frame. Independent casts of the plaquette, lacking their contextual frame, tend to be of lesser quality and are reduced versions. A large and eloquent freehand plaque after Jacopo’s terracotta Pieta (or the Venetian Pieta) is at the Gomez-Moreno Museum (Fig. 15) and a freehand carved rock crystal version, enclosed in a gilt bronze pax, is at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Fig. 16).

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 13 Michael Riddick Endnotes

1 See A. Condivi: The Life of Michelangelo, earlier cast bronze base of the tabernacle (see 24 Annali de’ Frati Minori Cappuccini composti ed. A. Sedgwick Wohl, Pennsylvania State G. Redin: ‘Jacopo del Duca, il ciborio della dal M.R.P. Zaccaria Boverio da Saluzzi University 1999, p. 103; G. Vasari: Lives of the certosa di Padula el il ciborio di Michelangelo e tradotti in volgare dal P.F. Benedetto most eminent painters, sculptors and architects. per Santa Maria degli Angeli’, Antologia di Sanbenedetti da Milano Predicatore Vol. IX., ed. G.C. de Vere, Macmillian/Medici Belle Arti, 63-66 [2002], p. 132) Cappuccino, Tomo II parte prima, p. 107 n. Society 1915, p. 108; and M. Forcellino: ‘The 42, Giunti e Bava, Venezia 1645. Pieta by Michelangelo, for Vittoria Colonna: 13 J. Montagu: op. cit. (note 12), p. 28 sources, documentation and art-historical 25 A. Troncavini: op. cit. (note 23) literature,’ The Ragusa Pieta: History and 14 The present author counts 60 examples, Restoration, Fondazione Roma Arte-Musei not inclusive of two independent examples 26 See MET Inv. 01.23.151 2010, pp. 87-90, for historical documentation lacking the frame discussing Michelangelo’s Pieta for Colonna 27 J. Warren (Ashmolean Museum) 2014, 15 W. Wixom (Cleveland Museum of Art) 1975, No. 414, pp. 947-48 2 Pianto della Marchesa di Pescara sopra la No. 140 Passione di Christo 28 A. Troncavini, op. cit. (note 23), Fig. 6 16 F. Rossi discusses an aftercast of this 3 G. Fazio: Jacopo mio garzone: Sculture siciliane tympanum featured on a reasonably diffused 29 Four in Italian churches and four privately nell’ambito di Giacomo Del Duca’, Valdinoto, pax depicting the Lowering of Christ in the held examples no. 2 (2006), pp. 39-68 Tomb. See F. Rossi (Musei Civici di Brescia) 1974, No. 214, pp. 127-28 30 M. Riddick: A Renaissance- Treasury 4 M. Forceillino, op. cit. (note 1) of Minor Arts: Riddick Collection, Vol. 1, 17 C. Avery counts a total of 61 examples with manuscript (2016) (see entry: Doubting 5 A. Forcellino: ‘Michelangelo as painter: J. Warren adding an additional 7 to the Thomas pax) technique and formal language,’ The Ragusa known census (see J. Warren [Wallace Pieta: History and Restoration, Fondazione Collection] 2016, No. 91) 31 J. Montagu: op. cit. (note 12), p. 28 Roma Arte-Musei 2010, pp. 99-113 18 The dating of the lockplates is ascertained by 32 One belonging to a private Spanish collection 6 W. Wixom (Cleveland Museum of Art, 1975, the dating of marriages relative to the coat- and featuring a lovely engraved reverse and No. 140) suggested Rome, followed later by of-arms featured on various examples (see J. another at a church within the Diocese of C. Avery (Bonhams, 15 April 2008, Lot 5) and Warren 2016, op. cit. [note 18]) Massa Carrara-Pontremoli. most recently by F. Rossi (Scaglia Collection, 2011, No. VIII.36) 19 It is to be pondered if there is a reason for 33 M. Riddick, op. cit. (note 31) (see entry on the silhouetted characteristics on inscribed Pieta pax) 7 C. Tolnay: ‘Michelangelo’s Pietà Composition versions. Though a modest conjecture, for Vittoria Colonna,’ Record of the Art perhaps the purchaser could select this 34 A small concentration of these 18th century Museum (Princeton University, 1953) option because the reduction of bronze saved freehand silver variants tend to belong in casting the pax equated to the value of to churches within the Diocese of Massa 8 C. Tolnay, op. cit. (note 8) adding an inscription? It’s noteworthy that Carrara-Pontremoli some contemporary casts are entirely gilt, 9 C. Avery’s assessment is noted in the 2008 with no concern for expense, while others 35 The present author counts 20 examples 15 April Bonhams auction catalog (Lot 5) feature the economic gilding of only the and is likewise noted by J. Warren (Wallace obverse. 36 Private communication (Aug 2016) Collection) 2016, No. 91, footnote 51 20 Sotheby’s auction, 5 May 2015, Lot 12 37 Regola delli cinque ordini d’architettura 10 F. Rossi (Scaglia Collection, 2011, No. VIII.36) likewise discusses the Duca 21 F. Rossi (Scaglia Collection) 2011, No. 38 E. Molinier records only one independent association VIII.36; pp. 346-48, 572 example (see E. Molinier, 1886, Vol 2, No. 564, p. 115) 11 J. Montagu: Gold, Silver & Bronze: Metal 22 A. Tronacavini: ‘Una Pieta di Michelangelo Sculpture of the Roman Baroque, Princeton e la sua Diffusione,’ Antiqua.mi.it, September 39 J. Warren cites (2014: op. cit. [note 28]) one University 1996, p. 24 2016 (accessed via private communication, example of the Deposition at the Cathedral July 2016) Treasury in Pienza with this modified frame 12 The dating of the panel is based on the featuring columns instead of caryatids presence of wax residue on the reverse of the 23 The event took place at the house of a Bishop tabernacle’s Crucifixion panel, incised with from the Church of Saint Paul in Sezze, south 40 J. Warren, 2014: op. cit. (note 28) the date 27 January 1574 while another date of Rome (see A. Troncavini: op. cit. of 30 May 1572 was found incised on the [note 23]).

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 14 Michael Riddick 41 The present author counts 29 examples ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: I. Weber: Deutsche, Niederlandische und inclusive of those found independently and Franzosische Renaissanceplaketten 1500-1650, within the Mannerist frame (Roman Pieta) Munich, 1975; No. 363, p. 104

42 M. Accascina: Oreficeria in Sicilia dal XII al D. Banzato / F. Pellegrini: Bronzi e placchette (Other) XIX secolo ( 1974) pp. 228-230 dei Musei Civici di Padova, Studio Editoriale Programma Padova, 1989; No. 57; p. 81 M. Leino: Fashion, Devotion and Contemplation. 43 Example at the Museo Regionale di The Status and Functions of Italian Renaissance A. Huber: Un Mondo Tra Le Mani, Bronzi e Plaquettes. Peter Lang, Bern, Switzerland, 2013; 44 Within the palazzo at the Galleria Nazionale Placchette della Collezione Cicognani, Bononia pp. 184-85 di Arte Antica University Press, 2012; No. 2, p. 28

45 P. Berardi, ‘La Pietà Dusmet’, Jacopo Del Duca E. Molinier: Les Plaquettes, Paris, 1886; No. 562, SPECIAL THANKS to Attillio Troncavini for “nell’hombra di Missere”, (Firenze 2002) Vol 2, p. 114 his research on inscribed casts of the Roman pp. 17-18. Pieta pax, Javier Moya Morales (Fundación K. Pechstein: Bronzen und Plaketten. Rodríguez-Acosta) for his notes on examples of 46 This pax frame has traditionally been Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin, Staatliche Museen the relief at the Museo Gomez-Moreno, Doug identified as a “Sansovino frame,” though Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin, 1968; No. 279 Lewis for his confirming feedback regarding the Charles Davis (C. Davis: ‘Jacopo Sansovino Venetian Mannerist pax frames, Marty Kober for and the Italian Plaquette’, [NGA 1989], pp. F. Rossi: La Collezione Mario Scaglia, Bergamo, his valuable references and Charles Avery for his 265-89) and Tim Newbery (T. Newbery: 2011; No. VIII.36; pp. 346-48, 572 kind edits. Italian Renaissance Frames [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, 1990], No. 25, p. 54) J. Warren: The Wallace Collection Catalogue have clarified that the pax is Mannerist in of Italian Sculpture, Trustees of the Wallace its arrangement rather than Sansovino-like. Collection, 2016; Vol. 1, see No. 91, pp. 404-09 Newbery has further noted that the volutes, clasps and cartouches on the frame appear W. Wixom: Renaissance Bronzes from Ohio similar to a drawing attributed Collections, Cleveland Museum of Art, 1975; to Ammannati. No. 140

47 J. Warren amply discusses this, see J. Warren (Venetian Pieta) 2011, op. cit. (note 29), No. 415, pp. 949-50 E. Bange: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Die 48 The winged cherub heads on the pax frame italienischen Bronzen der Renaissance und des follow close in manner to those depicted Barock, II, Reliefs und Plaketten, Berlin, 1922; on the Coronation of the Virgin and silver No. 945, p. 124 Assumption of the Virgin plaquettes E. Molinier: Les Plaquettes, Paris, 1886; No. 756, 49 J. Warren discusses two such stylistically Vol 2, p. 204 related plaquettes, a scarce Assumption of the Virgin, known by a bronze example at the MET (Inv. No. 1975.1.1351), and a (Deposition) likewise scarce silver cast Assumption of the Virgin (see footnote 49), of different design, B. Bergbauer: Images en Relief, La Collection de belonging to the Venetian Treasury of the Plaquettes du Musee National de la Renaissance, Frari (J. Warren 2011, op. cit. [note 28], No. Paris, 2006; Nos. 57-58, p. 87 415, pp. 949-50) U. Middeldorf: Medals and Plaquettes from the 50 Other plaquettes found commonly integrated Sigmund Morgenroth Collection, Chicago, 1944; with this frame include a very widely diffused No. 310, p. 43 Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John (for an example see F. Rossi, 2011, No. IX. E. Molinier: Les Plaquettes, Paris, 1886; No. 564, 5) and a plaquette of Christ Lifted Out of the Vol 2, p. 115 Tomb by Angels (for an example see F. Rossi, 2011, No. IX.25) J. Warren: Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture in the Ashmolean Museum, Vol. 3, Plaquettes, 51 One at the Louvre and another belonging to Ashmolean Museum Publications, 2014; No. 414, a church within the Diocese of Bologna pp. 947-48

Michelangelo’s Pieta in Bronze 15 Michael Riddick