Considered Michelangelo’s first true masterpiece, his sculpture of The Pieta. There are 3 in existence, and we've had the fortune to see 2 of them, his last sculpture done in his late 80s and meant for his own tomb, and his first, executed at the age of 24.
This is a familiar image to many, whether they have traveled to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to see it, or not. Fearing people would not believe his skill, Michelangelo carved his name down Mary’s sash to prove that he indeed was the sculptor. Here, Mary gazes down at the body of her son, lying in her lap, as if he were a little boy who fell asleep. In fact, it's Michelangelo's depiction of the moments after he was lifted down from the cross. I will let the photos speak, just as we got closer and closer. It's behind bullet-proof plexi-glass after a 1972 hammer attack.
Michelangelo's signature on Mary's sash
Carved from one piece of marble, including Mary's hand.
Remember this bronze bust we saw in the Bargello, commissioned by Michelangelo's nephew just before his death? Remember this face for the next Pieta.
Michelangelo returned to the theme of the Pieta many times in his life. He struggled with his faith, yet is responsible for some of the most famous depictions of the Bible's stories. Approaching his death at age 89, this next Pieta represents his last great sculpture, and he includes himself as the tall figure standing at the back. He intended this to adorn his own tomb, but it does not. It is now housed in its own room in the Museo del Duomo.
Spectacular.
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