On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P00284
- Author
- Parrasio, Michele (Italian)
- Title
- Pope Pius V worshipping the body of Christ
- Chronology
- 1572-1575
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 42 cm x 30 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- No
- Entrance
- COLECCION REAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
Christ lies dead on a bed beside
which Pope Pius V kneels,
surrounded by angels. Above them,
two angels hold a chalice and a
communion wafer, symbols of his
death and resurrection. On the
lower part of the painting, the
skeleton of Adam alludes to the
first man and the redemption of
Original Sin. Divers elements of
the Passion appear on the bed and
floor, such as the Crown of Thorns
and the Whip.
The main subject of this work is
the exaltation of the Eucharist,
represented by bread and
wine.
The figure of Saint Pius V, Micael
Ghislieri (1504-1572) is a
portrait. The Pontifice was an
especially important figure in the
struggle against Protestantism
during the Catholic
Counterreformation.
Parrasio studied in Venice with
Titian, although he was later
associated with Veronese. The
latter gave him a variety of
drawings for his compositions,
including the one now at the
British Museum in London, which is
for the figure of Christ and the
skeleton. The artist used the same
composition for the altar of the
Venetian church of San Giuseppe
(1573) but there, he painted
himself into the painting in place
of the Pope.
This worked entered the Monastery
of El Escorial during the reign of
Felipe II (1556-1598).
