The Pietà (1498–1499): Michelangelo's Masterpiece

In this article, I will argue that the Pietà (Italian): [pje?ta]; 1498–1499) is THE masterpiece within Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simon's substantial body of work. These days words like ' masterpiece' and ' genius' are commonly overused in the eclectic, post-modern world we live in. From the icons of pop culture and fashion to the svengalis of marketing and advertising, we hear such words used to describe all manner of eccentric people and things. However, true genius is usually rare and tends to stand the test of time, not the trends of the moment; no matter how colourful and intriguing they appear to be at first glance. For me Michelangelo's Pietà is one of those rare works of genius and I hope I can convince you why I believe that to be the case.

This famous sculpture depicts the body of Jesus Christ on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. Michelangelo's interpretation of the Pietà is unprecedented in Italian sculpture in the sublime way that it balances the Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism.

From my perspective, Michelangelo has created an extraordinary relationship between the body of the dead Christ and his mother. When viewing the Pietà, I'm fascinated by the realism evident in the dead body and its weight.It reveals, at least to my eyes, the loss of life that is so palpable for Mary. The marble seems to be transmogrified into flesh by Michelangelo via the way Mary holds up Christ's right arm and pulls up a small part of his flesh. Moreover, there is a curious contradiction in Mary's tenderness and beauty juxtaposed with the strength and the scale that is necessary for her to easily hold her son. In her utter sadness and devastation, she seems resigned to what has happened, and becomes enveloped in graceful acceptance.

Christ, too, is depicted almost as if he is in a peaceful slumber, and not one who has been bloodied and bruised after hours of torture and suffering. The marks of the Crucifixion are limited to minimal nail marks and the wound on his?side.

Overall, these two figures are beautiful and idealised, notwithstanding their suffering:

'This reflects the High Renaissance belief in Neo-Platonic ideals in that beauty on earth reflected God’s beauty, so these beautiful figures were echoing the beauty of the divine. (Michelangelo’s Pieta – ItalianRenaissance.org )'

Next, the drapery reveals how deeply carved the marble is. The fact that Mary's left hand is open and pointing delicately forward is surely noteworthy. It is as if she is suggesting to the viewer that this sacrifice is the path to salvation. Essentially, the Pietà ("pity", "compassion") represents God's sacrifice for humankind via the sacrifice for his own son. In this way, the religious notion of redemption is made possible. Although it may be difficult for some to grasp the profound symbolism in an increasingly secularised age, there is no doubting the sheer power of Michelangelo's message:

'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.' (https://www.michelangelo.net/pieta/)

The combination of naturalism and the divine are seamlessly woven into the sculpture so that it affects the viewer on different emotional levels:

'This religiously-themed sculpture is designed to evoke sorrow within the viewer as it portrays a mother that has lost her child, despite it being a divine sacrifice. This sculpture also corresponds with the rest of his work due to its religious significance and it is one of the most powerful portrayals of almost any biblical scene.' https://artincontext.org/michelangelo-pieta/)

In terms of its structure,the Pieta is triangular, starting with Mary’s head. The triangle then widens progressively downward with the drapery of Mary’s dress, to the rock of Golgotha. Clearly, it creates a sense of balance.

'Popular in Renaissance painting and sculpture alike, the use of?pyramidal composition—an artistic technique of placing a scene or subject within an imaginary triangle—aids the viewer as they observe a work of art by leading their eye around the composition. Such a silhouette also suggests stability, which Michelangelo further implied through the use of heavy drapery covering Mary's monumental form.'https://mymodernmet.com/michelangelo-pieta/

Although Mary's large size lends itself to the sculpture's naturalism, it paradoxically also appears unrealistic, as she appears much larger than her adult son:

' Why did Michelangelo opt for these proportions? While most art historians believe it was a matter of perspective (a massive figure sprawled across a smaller figure's lap would look unbalanced)' (https://mymodernmet.com/michelangelo-pieta/)

'Michelangelo’s choice to represent the Virgin as a youthful young woman was not the anachronism of a sculptor lost in his love for beauty - it was a profoundly fitting gesture from an artist capable of imbuing his works with deep levels of theological meaning:'

(https://www.througheternity.com/en/blog/art/michelangelo-pieta-saint-peters-guide.html#)

To conclude, in my view Michelangelo's Pieta is his most perfectly executed work in terms of the masterful way that it blends balance, detail, and a lifelike yet idealised approach to the human form.?Essentially, I feel that it successfully expresses in stone what cannot be expressed in words:

' The beauty of its lines and expression leaves a lasting impression on everyone.'

(https://stpetersbasilica.info/Altars/Pieta/Pieta.htm)

Reference List:

Exploring Michelangelo’s ‘Pietà,’ a Masterpiece of Renaissance Sculpture. Available at: https://mymodernmet.com/michelangelo-pieta/

Michelangelo's Pieta. Available at:https://www.italianrenaissance.org/michelangelos-pieta/

Michelangelo's Pietà: Renaissance Perfection In Saint Peter's Basilica. Available at: https://www.througheternity.com/en/blog/art/michelangelo-pieta-saint-peters-guide.html

Pieta by Michelangelo. Available at: https://www.michelangelo.net/pieta/

St Peter's - Chapel of the Pieta. Available at:https://stpetersbasilica.info/Altars/Pieta/Pieta.htm