Deposition (Santa Felicita)

The artwork

It is called a Deposition, but there is no cross and no tomb: it is one of the most mysterious paintings of the Renaissance. It comes printed on handmade Amalfi paper, in a handmade frame.

• Pinks, blues and the palest greens, light figures that seem weightless.
• A striking vertical altarpiece for a living room or a high-ceilinged entrance hall.
• A gift for anyone who loves sacred art and Florence.

On 22 May 1525 the Capponi family bought a chapel in the church of Santa Felicita, a stone's throw from the Ponte Vecchio, and entrusted it to Pontormo. For the altar he painted this panel: a group of figures carrying the body of Christ, almost suspended, with no real landscape around them. It is not a Deposition, because there is no cross. It is not a Pietà, because Christ is not in his Mother's lap. This is why the official label calls it Pietà (Transport of Christ).

At the right edge there is a bearded man looking towards us: according to one theory, he is the painter's self-portrait. The altarpiece, more than three metres tall, came to Rome for the exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale, courtesy of the Archdiocese of Florence.

In a living room, an entrance hall or a study: it is the gift for anyone who loves sacred art, Florence and paintings that never stop asking questions.

Unique quality material

Print on handmade Amalfi paper
Sheet size: 40 x 60 cm (15.7 x 23.6 in)
Framed size: 42 x 62 cm (16.5 x 24.4 in)
Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges
Frame: dark brown with a gold fillet, handmade, with glass