I’ve never thought much of sculpture, but the longer I stayed in Italy, the more I would. In fact, a recurring theme on our trip to Italy was experiencing the work of Michaelangelo. And one of the first pieces that struck me was The Pietà (1498–1499). Housed in in St Peter’s Basilica, it depicts Mary holding the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. At the age of 24, Michaelangelo carved this out of a single slab of Carrara marble in just 2 years. The actual piece is now raised and protected behind glass, due to an unfortunate incident in 1972 where someone mental tried attacking it with a hammer. But even from afar it was stunning. I still can’t wrap my head around how marble can be made to drape and flow. That said, I’ll leave the reflections on human suffering, mother/child, sweetness/sadness of the piece to you. In either case, è bella.
Roma – La Pietà di Michelangelo nella Basilica di San Pietro | by Luigi FDV
La Pieta – Close Up | by offshoot
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.