Pieta, as in English " The Pity" is Michelangelo Buonarroti's one of the greatest works, for some people even better than David. The sculpture is located in Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Michelangelo sculpted Pieta in 1498-99 years, and it is the first sculpture out of the same theme works by the artist.
Pieta has initially been made for the French cardinal Jean de Billheres. He served in Rome and wanted to be remembered long after his death. The cardinal hired young Michelangelo to create a memorial for his grave. Michelangelo sculpted the scene after the crucifixion when the lifeless body of Jesus lies on the lap of his mother.
Pieta is an excellent example of the High Renaissance and the naturalism that came with it. The balance, details, and lifelike approach to the human form make pieta one of the best works of its time. The sculpture uses a pyramidal composition, placing Mary and Jesus in the imaginary triangle. The size of the statue is 1,74 meters on 1,95 meters. Even though the sculpture is naturalistic, Mary is presented much more prominent than her son. Some people critiqued Michelangelo for it, while others believe that Michelangelo represents the mother's agony, who is imagining that she is holding her son as a baby once again. It is also very noticeable that Mary looks younger than someone who is a mother of 33 years old. Portraying Mary this way is a well-known practice. This way artist tries to present the purity of the mother of Jesus.