Lamentation

Abstract

Located in the Chiesa della Pieta in Teggiano, this lamentation scene is composed of six life-sized wooden figures. The sculptural group is located on an elevated platform above the main altar. Christ lies on a bed at the center of the composition with his arms crossed over his torso. His mother, Mary, is seated on the floor behind him. It is almost impossible to see Mary from most angles as she is seated and is fainting backwards. Four figures flank Christ and Mary; to the left are Mary Magdalene and Nicodemus and to the right are Joseph of Arimathea and Saint John the Evangelist (this seems to be unsure). In a previous arrangement of the figures, Christ was placed at a diagonal; his head faced his mother’s body, making it seem as though she cradling his body. However, the figures were likely rearranged above the altar so that the congregation could view all the figures from afar. The sculptural group is attributed to Giovanni da Nola (also known as Giovanni Margliano). Giovanni was a sculptor in the Naples region and worked with wood and marble. Letizia Gaeta contends that Giovanni was well-established when he received this commission and had employed other craftsmen to apply the paint on the figures. Some figures, such as Mary Magdalene, contain coloured wax at the inner corners of their eyes, mimicking teardrops. The sculptures are well-preserved. Most of the polychromy remains intact, though it is uncertain whether these sculptures were previously restored. The Virgin Mary is missing her left hand, and some insect damage is apparent on some figures. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.