(Verona circa 1424–1507/12)
The Deposition of Christ with the Madonna and Saints John, Mary Magdalene, Peter and Jerome,
tempera on panel, 181 x 123 cm, framed

Provenance:
Chuch of Saint Alò, Verona (deconsecrated 1807);
Collection of Andrea Monga (1794–1861), Verona;
Collection of Francesco Monga (?–1884), Verona until 1885;
Collection of Pietro Monga, Verona (as by Benaglio);
Collection of Cesare Laurenti, Venice, in 1911;
sale, Sotheby’s, London 21 April 1993, lot 137 (as North East Italian School, circa 1500, property from a Deceased’s Estate);
sale, Artcurial, Paris, 24 June 2008, lot 5 (as School of Ferrara, circa 1550);
sale, Artcurial, Paris, 26 September 2017, lot 95 (as School of Ferrara, 16th Century);
sale, Artcurial, Paris, 21 March 2018, lot 134 (as Antonio Badile II);
where acquired by the present owner

Documentation:
G. Biadego, L’Arte degli Orefici in Verona, Verona 1890, p. 43: ‘dà a fare a maestro Antonio baillo depentore doe anchone di li altari de la gesia de santa Maria de la misericordia e sant’alò gesia […] anchona dovo se sona le champane con la piatà e con figuro di dirà li sti ofiziali’ [‘given to master Antonio baillo, painter, to do two altarpieces with the actions of Saint Mary of the Passion and the actions of Saint Alò […] an altarpiece where the bells ring with the passion and the figures will be chosen by the mentioned officials’];

List of painting belonging to the recently deceased Francesco Monga acquired by his brother Pietro, 28 March 1885: ‘Tavola da altare con cornice madonna addolarata e Santi e sottoposta Pradella in tre scomparti […] del Benaglio veronese’ [‘Framed altar panel showing the grieving Madonna and Saints, and beneath the Predella with three compartments […] by Benaglio of Verona’], published by E. M. Guzzo, Il patrimonio artistico veronese nell’Ottocento tra collezionismo e dispersioni (seconda parte), in: Atti e memorie dell’Accademia di Agricoltura, Scienze e Lettere di Verona, CLXXII, 1995–96, p. 452–453, no. 10;
Inventory of paintings belonging to Pietro Monga: ‘Madonna addolorata e Santi con sottoposta predella a tre scomparti, Cristo-S. Francesco-S. Girolamo. Tavola d’altare – Benaglio Veron.se’ [‘grieving Madonna and Saints, and beneath the Predella with three compartments, Christ – St. Francis – St. Jerome. Altarpiece – Benaglio of Verona’] published by E. M. Guzzo, Il patrimonio artistico veronese nell’Ottocento tra collezionismo e dispersioni (seconda parte), in: Atti e memorie dell’Accademia di Agricoltura, Scienze e Lettere di Verona, CLXXII, 1995–96, p. 461, no. 24

Literature:
G. Gerola, I Baili e i pittori dal cespo di garofano, in: Madonna Verona, Bollettino del Museo Civico di Verona, V, 19, July – September 1911, pp. 195–196, illustrated;
E. M. Guzzo, Risarcimento di Antonio Badile, in: Arte Cristiana, no. 81, 1993, pp. 200–202, ill. p. 204, no. 6;
E. M. Guzzo, Ricerche sul Rinascimento veronese: Antonio Badile, Michele, Girolamo dai Libri, in: Magna Verona Vale, Studi in onore di Pierpaolo Brugnoli, Verona 2008, pp. 345–351, fig. 1 and fig. 2

Antonio Badile II belonged to one of the best-known dynasties of artists in Verona which included about a dozen painters, active between the 14th and 17th centuries. It is only recently that the present artist’s identity has been revealed: previously he was known by the moniker ‘Maestro del Cespo di Garofano’ [‘Master of the Carnation Bush’] on account of the frequent presence of vases or bushes of pink or red carnations in his paintings, which may have served as a personal trademark or signature. Antonio II was one of the protagonists of Quattrocento painting in Verona and his catalogue of works was reconstructed by the art historian Giuseppe Gerola in the early 20th century: notable examples are in the Museo di Castelvecchio and the Cathedral of Sant’Anastasia in Verona.

The execution of the present painting, which represents The Deposition of Christ with the Madonna and Saints John, Mary Magdalene, Peter and Jerome, was outlined in a contract sealed on 1 August 1497 between the painter Antonio Badile II and the representatives of the Arte degli Orefici or the Guild of Goldsmiths, and specifically the administrators, Master Nicolò massaro and Sebastiano dal Mozzo gastaldo (see documentation). The painting, for which the painter was paid in 1498, was made for the church of the goldsmiths of Verona dedicated to Santa Maria della Misericordia and Saint Alò: it still exists in the district of Tombetta, although it is now deconsecrated. In the contract, the painting was described as an ‘anchona con la pietà e con figure li dirà li soprascritti ofiziali’ [‘altarpiece with the pietà and the figures which will be given by the above mentioned officials’] – that is to say, figures of saints to be chosen by the patrons: the Arte degli Orefici. Thanks to an early 20th century photograph, it is known that the present Deposition of Christ also had a predella composed of three tempera panels representing Saint Francis receiving the stigmata, Christ in the sepulchre supported by two angels and Saint Jerome in penitence. The saints chosen for the altarpiece had names corresponding to certain leading members of the guild at the time of the commission. Over the course of its history the present altarpiece was evidently reduced along the lower edge, and also extended by about 20 cms along the upper edge.

The church of Saint Alò was transferred to the property of the State in 1807 on account of the suppression of the Arte degli Orefici and it remained open for a few years longer as the oratory of the nearby parish church of Tomba, until it was finally deconsecrated. After 1821 Andrea Monga purchased all the fixtures and fittings of the church of Saint Alò including the present painting.

The present painting is a typical work of Antonio Badile II. A comparison can be made with the central panel of the triptych representing the Pietà, with Saint Elena and Saint Catherine of Alexandria in the Museo Canonicale di Verona (see fig. 1). The landscape is similar to the present painting and it also includes the same turreted fortress. The type and style of the figures, their features and the fall of the folds of their robes, reveal clear stylistic comparisons to Badile II’s known production.