Pieta by Michelangelo

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Pieta is one of Michelangelo's most famous sculptures.

00:00 Introduction

Serene. Infinitely sorrowful. Exquisite. There is no end to the number of adjectives that have been used to describe Michelangelo Buonarroti’s sculptural masterpiece called the Pieta.

In 1497, a young Michelangelo was commissioned by French Cardinal Jean de Bilheres Lagraulas to create "the most beautiful work of marble in Rome, one that no living artist could better", for the cardinal’s future tomb in Old St Peter’s Basilica.

Few will argue that Michelangelo not only rose to the Cardinal’s challenge with the Pieta but also managed to surpass it.

Michelangelo sculpted the Pieta from a single block of Carrara marble, which he claimed was the most perfect block of marble he had ever worked with. He also claimed that he could "see" the sculpture within the marble itself and that it was his job to merely remove the excess in order to free the image inside.

He mixed Renaissance ideologies of classical beauty with naturalism, but what set Michelangelo’s Pieta apart from all the others was that his was a multi-figured sculpture, considered a rarity in its day.

02:02 Description of the Sculpture

At five feet, eight inches tall, the figures of the Virgin Mary and Jesus appear in a unified composition. They are presented in the formation of a pyramid, with the vertex being the top of the Virgin Mary’s head.

The pyramidal geometrical composition used for the Pieta was also favoured by other Renaissance artists of the period like Leonardo da Vinci. Immediately evident is the fact that the two figures are disproportionate in size to each other.

In a sitting position, the Virgin Mary’s head is quite small while her torso, draped in dress and a cloak, appears larger. Her legs are spread wide and swathed in the voluminous folds of material which form the substantive base upon which the leaner – and smaller – figure of the dead Jesus is cradled.

The use of disproportionate sizing was quite common in Renaissance art and did not detract from the work as a whole.

03:11 What is so Special about Michelangelo's Pieta?

What makes Michelangelo’s sculpture of the Pieta so arresting is the presentation of the folds in the Virgin Mary’s clothing that envelope her from head to foot. The hood of her cloak is draped over the top of her head, just brushing her forehead.

In fact, it is Michelangelo’s painstaking attention to detail and the unique treatment of the hair, the skin and the fabric on each figure that give the Pieta texture and substance.

There is such intimacy in the grief-stricken moment between the mother and her dead son. It is conveyed in the tenderness, profound sorrow and humility with which the Virgin Mary’s stares down at the body of Jesus draped across her lap.

However, despite the torture Jesus had endured, the devastation to his body is minimal. The wounds on his hands and feet, after being nailed to the cross, are small and he looks to be lying in peaceful repose. The Virgin’s right hand, as it supports Jesus’ body, does not come into direct contact with his flesh.

05:03 How well was the Sculpture Received?

Michelangelo was criticized for depicting the Virgin Mary as youthful, far too young to be the mother of a grown son. He responded to his critics by stating that Mary was a virgin and that chaste women retained their beauty which is why the Virgin Mary would not have aged like other women.

05:48 How Long did the Pieta take to Produce?

Sculpting the Pieta took less than two years. After its completion, the Pieta was displayed in the Chapel of Santa Petronilla, a Roman mausoleum, which Cardinal Lagraulas chose as his funerary chapel.

06:02 Why Did Michelangelo Sign Pieta, but No Other Sculpture?

Shortly after the Pieta was displayed, it was thought to be the work of another sculptor, prompting Michelangelo to impulsively “sign” his work by carving “MICHAELA[N]GELUS BONAROTUS FLORENTIN[US] FACIEBA[T]” on the sash that runs diagonally across the Virgin Mary’s chest.

The Pieta is the only work ever signed by Michelangelo and it is said that Michelangelo later regretted his impulsiveness, swearing never again to put his name to another one of his works.

06:32 Where is Michelangelo's Pieta Today?

Both young Michelangelo and his incredible sculpture became famous almost immediately after the Pieta’s completion as word of his sculpture spread.

Today, Michelangelo’s Pieta remains displayed in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, now protected by a bullet-proof glass panel.

Michelangelo is considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time whose work as a sculptor, painter as well as poet of the Renaissance has influenced the development of Western art.

The Pieta remains a testament and lasting legacy to Michelangelo’s masterful talents.

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