Domenico Campagnola
approximately 1500-1564
Christ Before the High Priest Caiaphas
ca. 1550-1564
8 1/16 x 14 5/8 inches (205 x 371 mm)
Pen and brown ink, over black chalk, on paper.
I, 64
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) in 1909.
Description
The composition depicts a moment in the Gospel of Matthew: “Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, ‘He hath spoken blasphemy! What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard this blasphemy’” (Matthew 26:65).
Christ before Pilate is a later work, characterized by the improbably elegant poses of the figures, the sinuous, highly decorative folds of the drapery, and the cursive pen work that superficially describes the forms. It may exhibit the influence of mannerist works by Francesco Salviati and his pupil, Giuseppe Porta Salviati, who is recorded as having visited Padua in 1541.
Inscriptions/Markings
Inscribed on mount, at center, just beneath the drawing, "Titian(?) (effaced)"; on verso of drawing, at upper left, in red chalk, "No. 866"; at center left, in red chalk, "gnla(?)" (cancelled); at center, in graphite, "11/16" (a fraction); at lower right in graphite, "q"; on remnant of old mount, in pen and brown ink, "V.G. / 83", in pen and red ink, "No 95" (very faint); in pen and red ink, "Lot 909.x".
Watermark: Church inside circle surmounted by long stemmed cross. Similar to watermark on I,62a
Watermark: Church inside circle surmounted by long stemmed cross. Similar to watermark on I,62a
Associated names
Hudson, Thomas, 1701-1779, former owner.
Reynolds, Joshua, Sir, 1723-1792, former owner.
Murray, Charles Fairfax, 1849-1919, former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.
Reynolds, Joshua, Sir, 1723-1792, former owner.
Murray, Charles Fairfax, 1849-1919, former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.
Bibliography
Tietze and Tietze-Conrat 1944, 129, no. 509; Staten Island 1958-59, no. 8.
Collection J. Pierpont Morgan : Drawings by the Old Masters Formed by C. Fairfax Murray. London : Privately printed, 1905-1912, I, 64.
Collection J. Pierpont Morgan : Drawings by the Old Masters Formed by C. Fairfax Murray. London : Privately printed, 1905-1912, I, 64.
Artist
Classification
Century Drawings
School
Catalog link
Department