Restored in 1987 with Save Venice general funds.

This lunette painting, semi-circular in shape, is located above Francesco Fontebasso’s altarpiece of Saints Leonard, Lorenzo Giustinian, Andrew, and Nicholas of Bari in the church of San Salvador. It has been attributed to Girolamo Pilotti, a pupil of Palma il Giovane, who had been active at San Salvador around 1600.

The work depicts the dead Christ held by God the Father, with the dove of the Holy Spirit at the apex of the composition. These central figures — who together form the Trinity — are surrounded by angels holding symbols of the passion of Christ, including the cross, the nails that pierced Christ’s hands and feet, the crown of thorns, and the pillar.

The painting was restored by conservators Serafino and Ferruccio Volpin, with the guidance of project director Ettore Merkel of the Superintendency of Fine Arts of Venice.

For select projects, conservation dossiers in Italian containing limited textual and photographic documentation may be available for consultation by appointment at the Venice office of Save Venice and the Rosand Library & Study Center. For inquiries, please contact us at venice@savevenice.org.

Girolamo Pilotti (c. 1579–1639) [attr.]
Deposition of Christ and Symbols of the Passion
Early seventeenth century, oil on canvas
200 x 402 cm