Paul Troger (1698 - 1762) - Pieta

During his grand tour of Italy, the painter of Austrian origin was able to benefit from the teachings of Sebastiano Ricci in Venice. His stay in Naples allowed him to meet Francesco Solimena with whom he collaborates. On his return to Austria, he specialized in religious orders; which will be imprinted with a deep Caravaggesque influence. In 1740-1741, when the artist was at the height of his glory, an important stylistic change took place in the Adoration of the Lamb by the twenty-four elders (Seitenstetten abbey, ceiling of the library): from a powerful and massive barrel, it passes to slender and elongated bodies, the broken and angular folds become linear and the color clears up. For a few years, Troger, who was nicknamed "the favorite of the prelates", played an important role thanks to the teaching he provided to young artists at the Academy of Vienna, of which he was appointed assessor (1752), then rector (1754). His pupils include J. J. Zeiller, F. Zoller, Ch. Unterberger, F. Sigrist. He will exert a great influence on Maulbertsch and Mildorfer. From 1755, his production, surprisingly abundant and dedicated exclusively to abbeys and churches, recorded a very clear decline, probably due to his poor state of health. As a result, easel painting became his only means of subsistence. Our painting is part of this new stylistic evolution which takes place from 1740, namely a return to a mannerism which results among other things in a deformation and an elongation of the bodies; the tones become lighter, and the key more vibrant. This painting, with strong "expressionist" accents, was painted in several versions including a smaller one which was offered for sale with an estimate of €20,000 - 40,000 in 2009 by Im Kinsky Kunst Auktionen.