Early Renaissance masterpiece by Bellini to be shown at the Morgan
Giovanni Bellini (1424/26–1516), Pietà (also known as Dead Christ Supported by Angels) (ca. 1470). Photography by Matteo De Fina, courtesy of Museo della Città “Luigi Tonini,” Rimini.
NEW YORK, NY.—
From January 15 through April 19, 2026, the Morgan Library & Museum will display the painting Pietà (also known as Dead Christ Supported by Angels) (ca. 1470) by Giovanni Bellini (1424/26–1516), bringing this early Renaissance masterpiece to the United States for the first time. The exceptional loan of this masterwork from the Museo della Città in Rimini, Italy, follows a comprehensive conservation treatment made possible by Venetian Heritage, Inc. The painting will be on view in J. Pierpont Morgan’s study within the Morgan’s historic library, alongside some of the finest Renaissance art collected by Morgan himself, including paintings by Hans Memling and Perugino and sculptures by Antonio Rossellino.
“The Morgan is delighted not only to bring Bellini’s painting to the United States for the first time but also to unveil this masterpiece to the public following its eagerly awaited restoration, and for this we are deeply grateful to Venetian Heritage,” said Colin B. Bailey, Katharine J.
Rayner Director of the Morgan Library & Museum. “Our presentation will allow visitors to the Morgan to see how Bellini drew inspiration from the Byzantine iconic tradition of painting the dead Christ, and gave fresh life to this devotional subject through combining a sense of deep spiritual emotion with a new humanist classicism.”
Bellini’s powerful and melancholic Pietà shows youthful angels contemplating the wounds of Christ’s dead body as they arrange it for veneration. In contrast to other versions of the subject, the angels in this painting do not wail uncontrollably; instead, the work’s poignancy derives from their sad, pensive preparation of Christ’s body.
Bellini spent the entirety of his long career in his native city of Venice, producing altarpieces, paintings for private devotion, portraits, and secular scenes. For small devotional works like this painting of the dead Christ, he built upon a long tradition of Byzantine icon painting well known in Venice. He also incorporated sculptural models and an interest in the forms of ancient Roman art, which he had learned from his brother-in-law Andrea Mantegna. The resulting style was distinctly modern but also timeless.
This presentation will coincide with the exhibition Caravaggio’s “Boy with a Basket of Fruit” in Focus, creating a remarkable opportunity for audiences to experience two pivotal moments in the history of Italian painting. Related programs and lectures will be announced.
