Pieta
The artist
Michelangelo Buonarroti, the famous Italian Renaissance sculptor and painter.
What you see
A tender scene of Mary gently holding her son Jesus across her lap after he has died, full of quiet sorrow and love.
The story
Michelangelo carved it in 1499 when he was only 24 years old, and it is the only artwork he ever signed his name on.
The style
The whole group was cut from one block of marble and polished so smoothly that the stone looks as soft as real cloth and skin.
Look closer
Find the ribbon across Mary's chest where Michelangelo carved the words that say he made this work.
Where to see it
It sits inside Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, protected behind glass for everyone to admire.
Fun fact
The word Pieta means pity or compassion in Italian, describing the deep feeling the statue shows.