THE PIETÀ BY JEAN DE CHETRO

The Mourning of Christ is one of the most common subjects in Christian art, at least from the last centuries of the Middle Ages onwards, and above all during the Renaissance. The scene depicts Christ, who has been taken down from the cross, surrounded by some people mourning his death. In this particular case the Virgin Mary, the Magdalene and Saint John the Evangelist are present, with two female figures and two angels in the background. This carved relief board may have made up the central part of a triptych of which both lateral panels have been lost. The Mourning, a recent acquisition of the regional collection, dating from around 1460, is attributed to the Aosta Valley sculptor Jean de Chetro and represents a new addition to the history of 15th century sculpture in Aosta Valley.