Pietá

In this depiction of the Pietá, which shows the Virgin Mary grieving over a dead Christ, accompanied by St. John and Mary Magdalene, the light is cast onto Jesus´s whole body, which is highlighted by the white shroud on which he lies.

The artist did not emphasize the wounds in Christ´s body, and has merely suggested them. But he does focus on the Virgin Mary’s grief, with her face awash with tears, and even more on her expressive, pleading hands. While St. John holds Christ, Mary Magdalene kisses his feet. His body is a perfect anatomical study.

This 17th century Valencian painter spent most of his life in Naples, which at that time belonged to the Spanish Crown. There, he was influenced by Caravaggio, and became a master of the Tenebrist style.


(c) (R) 2013, MUSMon com S.L.
Text (a) Catalina Serrano Romero

Picture
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: File Upload Bot
Permission: This artwork is in the public domain: The author of this artwork died more than 70 years ago. According to E.U. Copyright Law, copyright expires 70 years after the author's death. In other countries, legislation may differ.