Such a Pieta Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pieta of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

The author of this famous painting of the mid 15th century is Enguerrand Quarton (1410-1466). Two other famous works of this outstanding French artist are "Coronation of the Virgin" and "The Virgin of Mercy". His pietà is painted in oils on wood, originally for a monastery in Villeneuve-les-Avignon (the other side of the Rhone from Avignon itself) but now to be seen in the Louvre in Paris. The painting has several interesting points.

The body of Christ across Mary's knees is arched sharply backwards, while the head is supported by St John. Mary herself is not holding the body, but has her hands together in prayer. On the left is the figure of the donor dressed in white clerical garb, also praying.

The background is plain except for some buildings on the left which are sometimes thought to represent Jerusalem, although there is a theory that they are buildings in Istanbul which had recently been captured by the Ottomans.

Answer: Rogier van der Weyden

Rogier van der Weyden (1400-1464) was probably the most influential Flemish painter of his time. Also called "The Descent from the Cross", this painting of Christ's body being taken down from the cross includes a fainting Mary in a blue gown being supported by St John in red, among other figures.

This particular painting was given as a gift by Mary (Queen of Austria and Hungary and daughter of Philip I of Spain), to Philip II of Spain, but on the sea journey from the Netherlands the ship sank! Fortunately the painting was so well packed that it was recovered almost undamaged, and completed its journey, where it is now on display in the Prado, Madrid.

Answer: Uffizi

The Uffizi is one of the many museums in Florence. The Louvre and Cluny museums are in Paris, the Prado is in Madrid.
Perugino (1450-1523) takes his name from Perugia, the city near which he was born. His real name was Pietro di Christophoro Vanucci. Many of the works of this influential painter exist - he was one of the group of Florentine painters engaged to decorate the Sistine Chapel. He was the master of Raphael who was also one of that group.
In this painting the Virgin, in a traditional blue hooded robe, is silhouetted against the sky shown through an arch. Christ's shoulders and head are supported by St John, while Mary Magdalene and other figures pray nearby.

Answer: El Greco

El Greco was the only Renaissance artist listed; the others, although Spanish, were much later.
El Greco (1541-1614), whose proper name was Dominikos Theotokopoulos, was born in Crete but learned his art in Venice under Titian. He got his nickname in Italy but then spent the second half of his life in Spain. Settled eventually in the hilltop town of Toledo, he was known as an architect and sculpto, as well as a painter of religious themes. His practice of using elongated figures for spiritual beings became an instantly recognizable trademark. His unorthodox (for the time) style of painting made him considered if not mad then very eccentric.
His pietà shows a stormy background; Mary is hardly touching Christ, while a small St John struggles to hold the body.

Answer: Vincent van Gogh

Vincent Willam van Gogh (1853-1890) is considered by some the greatest painter since Rembrandt; at least this opinion is supported by the modern prices his works fetch. Many people argue about how to pronounce the Gogh part of his name, but few realize that "V" in Dutch is pronounced like "F" in English, and "W" like the English "V". Thus his forenames should be pronounced Fincent Villem fan ...!

A rare religious painting, this pietà was apparently based on a lithograph by Delacroix which van Gogh had dropped into some paint and spoiled. His Mary in traditional blue seems not to be holding Christ but rather almost dropping Him.

Answer: Accademia

The Accademia is indeed in Venice. The Capodimonte is is Naples, the Prado in Madrid, and the Uffizi in Florence.
Giovanni Bellini (about 1435-1516) was a Venetian painter who spent all his working life in that city. One of a family of artists in the city, he had Giorgione and Titian among his pupils. Bellini, in fact, painted several pietàs, but this one is rare among the genre in showing Mary as about the right age to have a son in his thirties. This realism is not consistent, though, as the background shows a typical Italian landscape.

Answer: Pieta de Tarascon

The three wrong answers are all made up.
Tarascon is a town on the Rhone some 15 miles south of Avignon and about 13 miles north of Arles; it is where the famous Arles sausages are made.
The painter of this work has not been identified, but the subject shows the influence of the earlier version by Quarton in the monastery at Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. Here Mary holds the body of Jesus on her lap, St John holds his head while Mary Magdalene is tending his feet. The wounds of Christ are clearly shown.

Answer: Annibale Carracci of Bologna

The Carpaccis, two brothers and a cousin, were all born in Bologna and worked as individuals and sometimes as collaborators in producing outstanding religious paintings. Annibale Carracci (1560-1609) was the younger brother of Agostino and the cousin of Lodovico. Apart from his religious paintings, he is said to be the originator of the caricature.
This pietà shows Mary and Jesus against a dark background, with two winged cherubs, one of whom is pointing to the wound in Christ's foot.

Answer: William-Adolphe Bouguereau

William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a French artist who was employed to decorate several great houses. He painted a variety of subjects, many of which became popular through engravings.
He painted this work as a memorial to his 16-year-old son Georges who had recently died. It shows Mary as a grieving mother struck by tragedy, rather than the calm acceptance many early versions depict. She is surrounded by several other female figures, all wearing obvious expressions of grief.

Answer: Massimo Stanzione

Massimo Stanzione (1585-1656) was an Italian who painted in the Baroque style.
His pietà, painted in oils on canvas, shows Mary kneeling beside the supine pale body of Christ, lifting his right hand to her lips. In the dark background is a winged figure bending over the body in an attitude of prayer.