A Nun on Her Deathbed, the Holy Spirit Above

Art Historical Context

In the intimate drawing *A Nun on Her Death, the Holy Spirit Above (1532–87), Giovanni Lombardelli—known as "Il Mont"—captures a poignant moment of transcendence. This 16th-century Italian, active in the Marches region, in the Mannerist style blending elongated forms and dramatic emotion influenced by masters like Correggio andigianino. The scene depicts a serene nun reclining on her deathbed, her face illuminated by divine light as the Holy Spirit hovers above, symbolizing and salvation in the face of mortality—a common motif in Renaissance religious art amid the era's preoccupation with death and the afterlife. Executed on a modest scale (4 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches), the work exemplifies virtuoso draftsmanship through its layered technique: red chalk underdrawing provides subtle modeling, overlaid with precise pen and brown ink lines for contour and detail, then enriched by fluid brush and brown wash for depth and atmosphere. Such preparatory studies were vital in the workshops of the time, allowing artists to refine compositions before painting. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Rogers Fund, 1962), this piece offers a window into Counter-Reformation piety, where images of holy death reassured the faithful. Its delicate intimacy invites visitors to ponder the blend of human frailty and eternal hope.