The Pietà: the Virgin standing over the dead Christ, her hands outspread (ca. 1515–17, Met-Objekt 5771)
Original title: The Pietà: the Virgin standing over the dead Christ, her hands outspread
kurzbeschreibung
Mary stands grieving over the body of Christ — a subject Marcantonio Raimondi translated into engraving around 1515–17. The Pietà is set within a landscape, with the figures clearly defined.
Description
With arms spread wide, Mary occupies the heart of the picture. A headcloth and long robe envelop her; her sorrowful gaze rests on her dead son. Christ lies to her left on a stone, naked except for a short loincloth, his head pillowed on a cushion, his body partly covered by a cloth. Trees, rocks and a clouded sky form the backdrop, rooting the scene in nature. Diffuse light from above brings the figures forward.
Context
Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, became known above all for his reproductive prints after Raphael. This Pietà dates from his Roman years, when he worked closely with Raphael. Devotional images of this kind were widely popular in the early sixteenth century and served private piety.
Impact
The symmetrical arrangement and Mary's quiet grief give the print a solemn, prayerful presence. Delicate lines and soft shading create an intimate, contemplative mood that draws the viewer straight into the event.
Technique
For this engraving, the design was cut into a copper plate and then printed on paper. Raimondi worked with fine, precise lines and nuanced shading to bring out volume and the play of light.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)