Caravaggio, Deposition, Vatican Pinacoteca

Painted between 1602 and 1604 for the Vittrice Chapel in Saint Mary in Vallicella, it has been always, and unanimously, appreciated since the XVII century. His autography was never doubted. John, in red and green, supports the body of Jesus helped by another man variously identified as Nicodemo or Joseph of Arimathea. The Virgin Mary, the Magdalen and Mary of Cleofa are in the background.

The canvas remained over the altar until 1797 when was moved to Paris by Napoleon. It was the only artwork by Caravaggio, in the roman churches, carried to the Louvre.

On October 20 1815 it was removed from the Louvre and brought back to Rome on January 4 1816 to be placed in the Vatican Pinacoteca. In the original location a copy was set. Originally by Vincenzo Camuccini and then by Michel Kock, the same we see today.

This is, among the Caravaggio’s work, one of the most copied because it has always been in public display.

The most famous copy is by Rubens - now at the National Gallery of Canada - which painted it between 1612 and 1614 after his stay in Rome. We would better speak of a copy with variants or a reinterpretation. Mary of Cleofa is os the right, near the Virgin and the Magdalen on the left. In th background, partially hidden, he adds a charachter identifiable as Joseph of Arimathea.

Another XVII century copy is the canvas by Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri, similar dimension of the original. It is over the main altar of the St. Mark church in Milan coming from the St. Frances church in Sassoferrato where stood until 1814.

Theodore Gericault copied the piece by Caravaggio when was exposed at the Louvre in a smaller scale than the original. Today in a private collection.

Paul Cezanne did a very personal and unique interpretation of the Deposition. The watercolor is today in Berna.