Francesco da Ponte, called Francesco Bassano the Younger

Anonymous sale ("Another Property"), London, Philips, 7 July 1998, lot 41;

Where acquired by the late collector.

This luminous candle-lit depiction of The Lamentation of Christ is a highly characteristic example of Francesco Bassano's nocturnal scenes, which were often painted on pietra nera (slate) owing to the suitable color of the stone. Francesco was the eldest son of Jacopo Bassano (circa 1510–1592), in whose workshop he trained until 1578. Jacopo can be said to have pioneered the present composition, which was then taken up by his sons in a number of versions and variants. His best known version is a painting on canvas in the Musée du Louvre, Paris.¹ Another version by Jacopo in the collection of Hester Diamond, New York, this time on slate, appeared for sale at Sotheby's New York on 29 January 2021.²

¹ Inv. no. 433; oil on canvas, 154 by 225cm.; https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010060961

² Oil on slate, 33 by 30.2 cm.; https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/the-collection-of-hester-diamond-part-i/deposition-of-christ