The Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist (or the Cavalry)

Abstract

In this sculptural group, the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist stand at the foot of the Cross, gazing up at the lifeless Christ. His head droops, marking his death, while Mary’s arms are crossed over her chest, expressing her deep grief. Saint John the Evangelist, dressed in a gilded robe and red mantle, conveys sorrow at the scene. Created around 1610, the sculptures are attributed to Francesco Mollica, a Neapolitan artist and pupil of Michelangelo Naccherino. According to Pierluigi Leone de Castris, the group combines Tuscan and Spanish stylistic styles with elements of late Mannerism. The crucifix reaches over two meters in height. A conservation campaign in 1950 cleaned the sculptures, making visible the "estofado d'oro" surface decoration (a Spanish technique involving layering gold leaf and paint to create rich brocaded patterns). Conservators also confirmed that the sculptures are carved from limewood and revealed that glass eyes were added to the mourning figures in the 18th century. The sculptures are displayed in the church of Gesù Nuovo in Naples. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.