Extreme Unction

The artist is considered the greatest classical French painter of the 17th century. In the 1630s he was commissioned by the antiquarian Cassiano dal Pozzo to depict the seven Sacraments in a set of paintings. For five of the Sacraments he chose scenes from the Bible, but for ‘ConfirmationÂ’ and ‘Extreme UnctionÂ’ he depicted liturgical scenes in the life of the early Church. The set was received with great enthusiasm and was a ‘must seeÂ’ for visitors to Rome on the Grand Tour. The painting will be a wonderful addition to the Baroque paintings at the museum, hanging alongside other pictures by French artists who visited Rome and near to paintings by Italian artists who worked or lived there. The painting greatly strengthen the museum's potential for teaching at all levels, particularly in out-reach programmes where the subject matter will be of considerable interest. PoussinÂ’s beautiful and sensitive depiction of the moment just before death will encourage comparison with the way people of different cultures and beliefs approach death and bereavement. The work was secured after a successful fundraising campaign led by the Art Fund and the Fitzwilliam where almost £1 million was donated from the public and charities, including a £100,000 grant from the Art Fund and contributions from almost 3,000 of our members which brought in an extra £142,000.