Michelangelo, Pietá, c 1498-1500, marble

The Pietá refers to the Virgin Mother Mary holding her son Jesus in her lap after he has been crucified.  This sculpture was created in the late 1400s during the Renaissance period.  The sculpture that was originally intended for a French Cardinal's tomb can be seen at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.  The Pietá is the only art piece Michelangelo signed, the reason being him not wanting to be mistaken by a different artist.  Michelangelo decided to create this Pietá as a challenge to make an art piece out of marble; also, he worked in the church, so he was influenced religiously.

The name of this art piece represents both subject and meaning.  The artist wanted to show in detail the beautiful mother Mary trying to comfort her son after going through hardships and sacrifice.  In a mother’s point of view, it is difficult to see her child in pain, therefore the mom experiencing a “double-pain.”  Despite that “double-pain,” Mary manages to support her son, looking like a strong, youthful woman.  Michelangelo sculpted Mary to look younger because she was a virgin and believed virgins would not age like non-virgins did.  Mothers would do anything to keep their child safe.  Being that there was not much Mary could do at that point, one can imagine her telling Jesus that everything was going to be okay.