Michele GIAMBONO (documented in Venice between... Lot 118

Michele GIAMBONO (documented in Venice between 1420 and 1462) Christ of Sorrows Fragment of a devotional panel. Egg painting and gold background on resinous wood panel, vertical thread Height: 18 cm - Width: 13 cm Provenance: Acquired from E. Vinot in November 1936, 2 700 fr. The panel has been cut on all four sides, leaving only the head and chest of Christ visible. The The reverse is coated with painted gesso, leaving the wood partially bare, where the pencil inscription "Mantegna" can be seen. in pencil of "Mantegna". Pictorial surface: wear and restoration, the tomb is a later overpainting. The gold background is worn and restored. The halo has been added. This as yet unpublished image can be compared with the representations of Christ at the tomb which critics to Michele Giambono - one of the last representatives of the international Gothic style in Venice - one of which is one of the last representatives of the international Gothic style in Venice - one of which is in the Emo Capodilista collection in Padua (1), the other in the Metropolitan In both images, Christ is depicted standing as seen from a distance. 69, rue Sainte-Anne - 75002 Paris - Tél : 01 47 03 48 78 - FAx : 01 42 60 59 32 - eric.turquin@turquin.fr - www.turquin.fr Eric Turquin Expertise, S.A.S. with a capital of 550.000 euros - RCS Paris B 382 236 859 - Code APE 741 C - Siret 382 236 859 00015 - VAT : FR 63 382 236 859 to the thighs, coming out of the tomb. The naked torso placed in front or slightly turned to the right, the arms arms spread out, leaving the wounds of the cross behind him visible. The New York painting also offers also offers a diminished representation of St. Francis in prayer, weeping and directly receiving the stigmata of Christ. the stigmata of Christ. A similar iconographic arrangement should probably be considered for our panel originally. The theme imported from Byzantium was very successful in Italy, in Tuscany as well as in Venice, and particularly in the Franciscan Venice and particularly in the Franciscan milieu where St. Francis was considered an alter Christus made famous by the text of the Meditationes vitae Christi. The comparison of the two models cited by Giambono with our Christ allows us to attribute the latter to this painter to this painter as the clues are so similar. The feeling of deep pain expressed by the half-closed eyes, the tense forehead the half-closed eyes, the tense forehead, the half-open mouth leaving a few teeth visible, the bloody wounds, the design of the crown of the crown, a simple branch with sharp thorns, all these details are treated in the same way in the the Padua and New York paintings; on the other hand, the coagulation of the blood is not done here in relief as in New York, but simply painted. It is the same delicate execution of the modelling playing on the the same delicate execution of the modelling, playing on the superimposed layers of brown-green vibrating under the action of the light, which defines the features of the face and torso, while the face and torso, while the tip of the brush defines the light beard (3). Finally, let us note the similarity of features and expression with the little Saint Francis (4) on the American panel. All these clues allow us to to attribute our Christ to Giambono around 1430-1440. 1. D. Benzato, La quadreria Emo Capodilista, Padua exhibition, Palazzo della Ragione, 7 May-25 September 1988, no. 5, p. 1. September 1988, n°5, p. 46-47, repr. 2. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, no. 06.180 3. Cf. M. Ceriani, V. Poletto, Il paradiso riconquistato, trame d'oro e colore nella pittura di Michele Giambono, exhibition Venice, Galleria dell'Accademia, 16 December2016-17 April 2017, n°16 4. Cf. "Il Paradiso riconquistato", p. 98, fig. 8 Expert : Mrs Philippine MOTAIS - Cabinet TURQUIN