the burial of Christ , danielle de Volterra (circle) (1509-1566 )

The theme of Christ's burial, a central theme of the Christian religion, which the painters of the period succeeded in immortalising: the Christian values of suffering and death, but also of hope and reflection on being.
The body of Jesus Christ occupies the centre of the painting, having been washed and embalmed with myrrh and aloes. It is carried by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both members of the Sanhedrin, the assembly of the Jewish people; In the background, the two veiled women are almost certainly Mary Salome and Mary Cleophas. The gallows can be seen on the hill on the horizon.

Our painting is known to have belonged to John Barnard (1709- 1784), a wealthy businessman and great collector who lived in Berkeley, London. His collector's mark can be seen on the back of the painting (fritz Lugt, marks of drawing collections, no. 1420).
The paintings were inherited by his nephew Thomas Hankey of Bedford, who died in 1798. The entire collection (86 lots) was sold at 2 sales on 7 and 8 June 1799.
the painting was no. 27 in the sale of 8 June 1799: mise au tombeau by daniel de Volterra oil on copper, it was sold for £75.12 as an example at this reference sale a painting by Veronese was sold for £118.10,

Our painting was bought by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, along with a large number of other works to complete his collection. Unfortunately he died in 1803 and his entire collection was passed on, along with his private mansion in St James's, London, to the Marquis of Stafford, his closest relative. His collection is recorded in 2 volumes entitled :
engravings of the most noble marquis de Stafford's collection of pictures in London , william Ottley and engraved by william Tomkins in 1818.
Our painting is described under n°11 tome II page 25 and in engraving, it was exhibited on the 1st floor dedicated to Italian paintings.

Then by descent to his second son the Earl of Ellesmere of Bridgewater house
By family succession, the painting is mentioned in 1851 and 1897 in the inventory (listed as 86 in the catalogue of the Bridgewater and Ellesmere collections st james London 1897).
Sale 18 October 1946 Christies London lot 80, Florentine school by Daniele de Volterra and the participation of denys Calvaert, Acquired by Mr and Mrs Pavica Mauthers
sale after death of the Mauthers couple, christies 13 december 2001 London 1st part lot 45, XVI century florentine school sold for £ 39600
private collection
A painter born in Volterra, a town in Italy between Florence and Siena, he entered the workshop of Baldassare Peruzzi, left his region for Rome where he worked with Perin del Vaga before entering the workshop of Michelangelo and becoming one of his most faithful collaborators. On the death of the Master, he received a large number of sketches and drawings which Volterra used to create his works (the 2 wrestlers at the Louvre, Elijah in the desert at the Museum of the Offices). ), these works were executed after drawings and sketches by Michelangelo, his paintings are very rare and few are listed.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

But the work of this painter is not simply a follower of Michelangelo; we know of a painting by Danielle de Volterra thanks to an engraving in the collection of the Duke of Orléans, Regent of France.
(galerie du palais royal engravée d'après les tableaux de S.A.S Monseigneur Paris 1785 source inha), ‘ Le tableau descente de croix “, florentine school by daniel Ricciarelli dit de Volterra, it is noted in the front description ” un seul tableau de ce maître fait partie de la collection du palais royal ’ demonstrating the rarity of works by this painter. the provenance and quality of this painting is proof of a more personal style less marked by the mannerism of Michelangelo, his style is softer, more human,
‘The colours are vivid and the figures are not frozen, as mentioned in the 1785 text. This engraving allows us to compare our painting and to validate the attribution that has been made over the centuries.
size with frame: 57.7 cm x 48 cm
size without frame: 45.4 cm x 35.5 cm