The Mourning Virgin Mary

This panel is a fragment from the left side of a large painted crucifix. It was originally located just under the arm of the cross, which the artist painted in blue, as was common in early painting from Umbria in central Italy. The Virgin Mary touches her cheek in sorrow as she points to the right to now-missing figure of Christ with his wounds. This is one of the earliest Italian paintings in America, and it was painted on parchment (prepared animal skin) applied to a wood panel at a time before the development of panel painting. This medium, together with the artist’s remarkable control of line and expressive gesture, suggests that he also worked as a manuscript illuminator.

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Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Don Marcello Massarenti Collection, Rome, prior to 1897 [1881 catalogue: no. 5; 1897 catalogue: no. 12 as Margaritone d'Arezzo]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1902, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.