Jacopo Carucci da Pontormo

Happy Birthday Jacopo Pontormo!! Italian Mannerist painter, born in 1494, Pontormo was orphaned at an early age. He was apprenticed to various artists, including da Vinci. While influenced by Michelangelo, Pontormo's work has the exaggerated, dramatic atmosphere familiar with Mannerism. The Deposition from the Cross is considered by many to be his one remaining masterpiece, depicting his mature style. In it we see the familiar theatrical expressions on brightly clothed, seemingly weightless figures. The composition is oval, the space shallow. Some see the two boyish figures supporting Christ's body as angels prepared to take Him to Heaven. Note the empty space next to the Virgin Mary in the back, perhaps depicting her great loss.