In the long history of picture painting it is not always possible to positively attribute a painting to a certain artist. It might not be signed, dated or have any documentation on who commissioned it. This can therefore create problems in correct attribution.

Until the Auckland Art Gallery's historic building was recently closed to the public for refurbishment, there was a Dead Christ supported by two angels of an unknown Renaissance artist hanging on the wall of the European section.

Unknown artist Pieta or Entombment: The dead Christ supported by two angels Late 16th century Oil on canvas Courtesy of the Cathedral of St. Paul, Wellington

This painting came originally to Auckland in 2004 from St. Paul's Cathedral in Wellington for restoration. It is from the 19th century collection of William Graham, who had an interest in early Italian painting. During the last century this work was attributed to many artists, but mostly to unknown artists of the Venetian school, early 16th century followers of Giovanni Bellini (1426-1516).

The pathos and realism of the Wellington painting relates back to the smaller scale devotional painting of Bellini, whose iconic images of the Virgin or a suffering Christ elicit a personal response from the viewer, as visible in the Pieta (1472) on display in Palazzo Ducale (Venice).

The painting follows the northern Italian/Venetian iconographical program of a dead Christ seated on the tomb edge, held erect by two supporting angels. It therefore belongs to 16th or early 17th century entombment category.

Unknown artist Pieta or Entombment: The dead Christ supported by two angels (detail) Late 16th century Oil on canvas Courtesy of the Cathedral of St. Paul, Wellington

The conventional pieta format shows the dead Christ supported and mourned by Mary, his mother. In later Venetian paintings the Madonna seems to have been sometimes replaced by supporting angels such as in the Dead Christ supported by angels (1474) on display in Pinacoteca Comunale (Rimini). This is a devotional image.

As the Venetian Republic extended from the Veneto across the Lombard plains, the Bellini workshop influenced the art of northern Italy from the 15th century through the 16th century, such as the Dead Christ supported by two Angels (1480-1485) on display at the Staatliche Museum (Berlin).

After the Council of Trent, angels replaced the traditional entombment attendants as they alone were now considered worthy to accompany Christ. In fact, in the final session of the Council of Trent in 1563, led by the cardinal archbishop of Milan, Carlo Borromeo, the Catholic Church placed a renewed emphasis on the Eucharist and re-affirmed the value of sacred images as aids of faith. Catholic art reflected this revival in more direct and powerful visual images as in Tintoretto's Lamentation over the Dead Christ (c.1560) on display at the Gallerie dell'Accademia (Venice).

Although the Wellington painting does not attempt the richness of color and texture of Paolo Veronese (1528-1588), another Venetian artist of the period, as visible in the Dead Christ supported by two angels(1587-1589) on display at the Staatliche Museum (Berlin); both of the works present an intimate image of the sacrificial Christ figure tended by two angels, lit by a glowing, unearthly light against a dark background.

By the late 16th century the lamentation pietas of Christ on a tomb supported by angels had become an established Venetian theme, it is therefore my thinking that the painting should be dated before the end of the 16th century.

Simona Albanese is a freelance writer, art historian, public lecturer and currently Senior Curator of The James Wallace Arts Trust. She has an MA in art history.