Artwork
The Lamentation
The Lamentation is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Ludovico Carracci. It dates from 1592 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Ludovico Carracci's 1592 oil painting depicts the Lamentation of Christ, a central scene in Christian religious art showing the mourning of Jesus following his crucifixion. The composition features the body of Christ as the focal point, surrounded by grieving figures that include the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John the Evangelist. This specific arrangement of characters adheres to traditional iconography for the subject, emphasizing the human sorrow and divine sacrifice associated with the Passion.
By bringing together these key biblical witnesses around the deceased Savior, the work visually represents the collective grief of the faithful and serves as a devotional image intended to evoke empathy and spiritual reflection on the events of the Holy Week.
Technique & Style
Compositional order is achieved through a shallow, stage-like recession with the Virgin centrally placed and Christ's body lowered along a gentle diagonal.
Executed in oil on canvas in 1592, the work displays a restrained, sculptural figural style indebted to Correggio and the Emilian tradition. Figures are modeled through softly blended, low-contrast transitions that emphasize volume and tactile presence rather than dramatic chiaroscuro. Compositional order is achieved through a shallow, stage-like recession with the Virgin centrally placed and Christ's body lowered along a gentle diagonal.
Gestures, Mary's outstretched arms, John's clasped hands, Magdalene's touch of Christ's feet, are rendered with measured clarity, underscoring emotional restraint. The palette relies on earthy ochres, muted blues, and subdued reds, with localized highlights on drapery and flesh to articulate form without aggressive contrast.
History & Provenance
Created in 1592, The Lamentation is an oil-on-canvas painting executed by the Italian artist Ludovico Carracci. The work belongs to the religious genre and depicts the Lamentation of Christ, featuring figures such as Mary, Mary Magdalene, John the Evangelist, and Jesus Christ. While the specific commissioning patron and detailed ownership chain prior to its acquisition are not detailed in the provided records, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, United States.
The artwork measures 95.3 cm in height and 172.7 cm in width. Its creation date is established as 1592.
The Lamentation by Ludovico Carracci is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, United States. The work, an oil painting on canvas created in 1592, depicts the Lamentation of Christ along with figures including the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John the Evangelist. While the provided sources confirm the painting's current location and its attribution to Carracci, they do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece.
Furthermore, the available documentation does not contain details regarding the artwork's exhibition history or prior provenance, limiting the record to its identification as a religious painting within the museum's holdings.
Overview
This oil painting, titled "The Lamentation," depicts a solemn gathering around a deceased or unconscious male figure. The composition centers on a group of mourners, whose vibrant attire stands out against a subdued backdrop, establishing a reflective atmosphere. The artwork's medium is oil paint.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian:; 21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker from Bologna.
