ALTAR OF THE MOURNING VERGIN MARY

The sculpture in painted papier-mâché shows all Mary’s private, lonely despair while she is mourning her dead Son, just before handing him to Giuseppe from Arimatea and Nicodemo for the burial.

This scene does not refer to any Gospel passage but it is often depicted in wood and marble sculptures that date back to the XIV century and spread out from Germany to France, up to Italy.

This particular sculpture dates back to the beginning of the last century and was originally located in the Zampeschi Chapel, on the left altar. The church was built during the Renaissance and had three altars that were destroyed when the roof collapsed during the Second World War bombings.