Christ in his tomb attended by an angel

A prolific artist of Veronese origin, Jacopo Ligozzi moved to Florence around 1576, where he entered into the service of Francesco I de Medici. He became official court painter upon the Grand Duke's accession in 1587, and was actively involved in the decoration of the Medici apartments, as well as the loggia, Tribuna and rooms that later became the Uffizi gallery. He worked not only as a portraitist and history painter, but as a miniaturist, festival designer, printmaker and scientific draughtsman, enjoying success as a designer of pietre dure and glass. A related drawing, dated to 1595, to this composition is in the Hamburger Kunsthalle (fig. 1).