DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52600#0102
6o
BARTOLOMEO MONTAGNA
Museo Civico at Verona. The central panel of the
lower row is lost.1
In the lower compartments, Montagna to a certain
extent adopted the scheme used in that great proto-
type of the Veronese altar-pieces—Mantegna’s famous
ancona in San Zeno.2 A portico, with pillars connected
by architraves, extended through all the said com-
partments.3 Their colour-scheme is gay : a profusion
of bright colours reigns in the costumes as well as in
the architecture, which affords peeps of the clear blue
sky. The panels in the upper series are more sombre
in tone, with beautifully harmonised colours. Through-
out the ancona the heads of the saints are full of
character ; the Pietd is in parts finely composed, and
contains a noble figure of Christ, round whose dead
body rises the angels’ and cherubs’ passionate lament.4
1 That I have been able to relate the curious story of this great work
of Montagna is due to the information generously offered to me by Dr.
Giuseppe Gerola.
2 Other imitations of it in or from churches at Verona are Francesco
Benaglio’s triptych in San Bernardino (the whole) and Girolamo dai
Libri’s ■pala from Santa Maria della Scala, now in the National Gallery
(the Madonna). Giovanni Bellini, by the way, also took Mantegna’s
work for his model in the Frari triptych.
3 The hanging oranges may also have been suggested by the fruit-
garlands in the picture by Mantegna.
4 Verona. SS. Nazaro e Celso. Right transept. Side panels from
the lower row of the ancona. Left panel. St. John, in leathern coat and
reddish violet mantle opens a book; St. Benedict, in episcopal robes,
holds a book in his right hand and a pastoral staff in his left. Right
panel. Saints Nazarus and Celsus, richly dressed as befits their noble
birth, wearing sword and spurs. The foremost figure, in olive green jacket,
vermilion mantle, violet hose and top-boots, holds a palm-branch in his
left hand and raises his right; the other, in gold brocade jacket, blue
mantle and vermilion hose, holds a palm-branch in his right hand and
grasps his sword with his left. 2.II x o.8i. Ph. Lotze. Sacristy.
Central panel from the upper row. The body of Christ is upheld
in a sarcophagus by two angels, sitting on the border of the sarco-
phagus, that to the left, in vermilion, gazing towards heaven, that to
the right in olive green, looking at the left arm of Christ, which she
BARTOLOMEO MONTAGNA
Museo Civico at Verona. The central panel of the
lower row is lost.1
In the lower compartments, Montagna to a certain
extent adopted the scheme used in that great proto-
type of the Veronese altar-pieces—Mantegna’s famous
ancona in San Zeno.2 A portico, with pillars connected
by architraves, extended through all the said com-
partments.3 Their colour-scheme is gay : a profusion
of bright colours reigns in the costumes as well as in
the architecture, which affords peeps of the clear blue
sky. The panels in the upper series are more sombre
in tone, with beautifully harmonised colours. Through-
out the ancona the heads of the saints are full of
character ; the Pietd is in parts finely composed, and
contains a noble figure of Christ, round whose dead
body rises the angels’ and cherubs’ passionate lament.4
1 That I have been able to relate the curious story of this great work
of Montagna is due to the information generously offered to me by Dr.
Giuseppe Gerola.
2 Other imitations of it in or from churches at Verona are Francesco
Benaglio’s triptych in San Bernardino (the whole) and Girolamo dai
Libri’s ■pala from Santa Maria della Scala, now in the National Gallery
(the Madonna). Giovanni Bellini, by the way, also took Mantegna’s
work for his model in the Frari triptych.
3 The hanging oranges may also have been suggested by the fruit-
garlands in the picture by Mantegna.
4 Verona. SS. Nazaro e Celso. Right transept. Side panels from
the lower row of the ancona. Left panel. St. John, in leathern coat and
reddish violet mantle opens a book; St. Benedict, in episcopal robes,
holds a book in his right hand and a pastoral staff in his left. Right
panel. Saints Nazarus and Celsus, richly dressed as befits their noble
birth, wearing sword and spurs. The foremost figure, in olive green jacket,
vermilion mantle, violet hose and top-boots, holds a palm-branch in his
left hand and raises his right; the other, in gold brocade jacket, blue
mantle and vermilion hose, holds a palm-branch in his right hand and
grasps his sword with his left. 2.II x o.8i. Ph. Lotze. Sacristy.
Central panel from the upper row. The body of Christ is upheld
in a sarcophagus by two angels, sitting on the border of the sarco-
phagus, that to the left, in vermilion, gazing towards heaven, that to
the right in olive green, looking at the left arm of Christ, which she