Michelangelo pièta Flashcards
Q1: What is a Pietà in Christian art?
A1: A Pietà depicts the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Christ after his crucifixion, death, and removal from the cross, but before he was placed in the tomb. It symbolizes ‘pity’ and is commonly found in sculpture.
date
1498/99-1500
location
Q2: How does Michelangelo depict the Madonna in the Pietà, and what might her youth symbolize?
A2: Michelangelo portrays the Madonna as youthful, symbolizing her incorruptible purity—a Neoplatonic interpretation.
*The Madonna is represented as being very young for the mother of an approximately 33-year-old son, when she would have been around 51 years old, prioritises spiritual beauty in dictating physical beauty
Q3: How is the Pietà connected to the Seven Sorrows of Mary?
A3: It represents one of the key events from the Virgin’s life and is associated with devotional prayers reflecting her sorrows.
known as the Seven Sorrows of Mary, which were the subject of devotional prayers.
Q4: How does Michelangelo’s Pietà differ from those in France and Germany?
A4: Unlike the stiff, outward-extending Christ found in Northern versions, Michelangelo’s Christ appears serene and sleeping, emphasizing beauty over suffering. (neoplatonism)
Q5: Describe the compositional structure of Michelangelo’s Pietà.
A5: The sculpture has a pyramidal composition, with the apex at Mary’s head, and the base widening through her drapery to the rock of Golgotha.
what does she sit on
*The Madonna is seated on the rock (of Golgotha) in which the cross was fixed.
depiction of Mary
-The youthful Mary is shown seated majestically; instead of revealing extreme grief, Mary is restrained and her expression is one of resignation and graceful acceptance
-Much emphasis on tactility – Mary’s fingers almost touch the stigmata, and lead our eyes to it.
-intricate drapey and anatomical precision (especially on her hand)
-Michelangelo’s talent in carving drapery is matched by his handling of the human forms in the Christ and the Virgin
-inproportionate: the Virgin’s body is larger than Christ’s body, and if they stood up, she would likely tower over her son. (in a way she acts as a support to his body)
-Much of Mary’s body is concealed by her monumental drapery
indluence of massacio
Masaccio/Donatello style folds. We know Michelangelo went to the Brancacci Chapel to study Masaccio and that he studied under Donatello’s peer, Bertoldo di Giovanni.
depiction of christ
-Supporting Christ, the Virgin’s right hand does not come into direct contact with his flesh, but instead it is covered with a cloth which then touches Christ’s side. This signifies the sacredness of Christ’s body.
*Michelangelo’s talent in carving drapery is matched by his handling of the human forms in the Christ and the Virgin
*Attention to anatomy: Semi-idealised nude sculpture with attention to muscles, veins and nerves. Though Christ seems to sleep, rather than to have rigour mortis.
how in anatomical precision shown
*Attention to anatomy: Semi-idealised nude sculpture with attention to muscles, veins and nerves. Though Christ seems to sleep, rather than to have rigour mortis.
*All’antica references (idealised male nude) mixed with observations from Michelangelo’s dissections in the Santo Spirito Crypt (high level of detail with veins and muscles etc).
where did michelangelo dissect
- Michelangelo’s dissections in the Santo Spirito Crypt (high level of detail with veins and muscles etc).
is this sculpture idealised
semi-idealised
Q6: How does Michelangelo emphasize tactility in the Pietà?
A6: Mary’s fingers nearly touch Christ’s stigmata, drawing the viewer’s attention to it. Her right hand is covered with cloth, signifying the sacredness of Christ’s body.
Q7: How does Michelangelo combine all’antica references with anatomical accuracy?
A7: He idealizes Christ’s male nude form, drawing on Classical tradition, while incorporating precise anatomical details from his dissections.
Q8: What challenges does the Pietà’s scale pose, and how does Michelangelo address them?
A8: Mary’s larger body supports Christ’s full-grown form naturally through her voluminous drapery, masking scale discrepancies.
Why is the Pietà considered a High Renaissance sculpture?
A9: It reflects harmony, idealized beauty, and emotional restraint, hallmarks of High Renaissance art.
Q10: What material was used for the Pietà, and why did Michelangelo choose it?
A10: It was carved from a single block of Carrara marble, chosen for its purity and transported by sea to Rome.
The white of the stone refers to the purity of Christ and the Virgin Mary
translucency of marble likened to the translucency of skin
how is low tensile strength shown
-pyramidal block like composition
-The extended foot is attached to a tree-trunk, highlighting the low-tensile strength of the sculpture,
how can be see the artistic process
*Like Bacchus, rasp and chisel marks can be seen on the plinth
use of undercutting
*Extreme undercutting creates dramatic shadow
e.g extyreme undercutting in drapery
Q11: What is notable about the marble’s finish?
A11: The Pietà is Michelangelo’s most highly polished sculpture, enhancing its lifelike and divine aura.
Q12: How does Michelangelo achieve textural contrasts in the Pietà?
A12: He contrasts the craggy rock face with the smooth, lifelike forms of Christ and Mary and deeply undercut drapery
Q13: What practical purpose does the drapery serve in the sculpture?
A13: It supports the figures structurally while showcasing Michelangelo’s technical mastery in carving folds and recesses.
Q14: Why did Michelangelo sign the Pietà, and what is unique about the inscription?
A14: He signed it after hearing others attribute it to another artist. The idiosyncratic use of “facebat” (was making) reflects a Medici court discussion on art’s perpetual incompleteness.
. Michelangelo carved MICHAELA[N]GELUS BONAROTUS FLORENTIN[US] FACEBA[T] (Michelangelo Buonarroti, Florentine, made this) – the only sculpture he ever signed – statue of the artist.
Q15: How did this commission impact Michelangelo’s career?
A15: It established his reputation in Rome, providing a major breakthrough after earlier setbacks.
Q16: Why is Mary portrayed as youthful in Michelangelo’s Pietà?
A16: Michelangelo explained that chaste women retain their beauty longer, linking her eternal youth to purity.
Q17: How does Neo-Platonic philosophy influence the Pietà?
A17: It aligns with the belief that earthly beauty reflects divine beauty, presenting Christ and Mary as idealized and serene figures.
Q18: Who commissioned the Pietà, and for what purpose?
A18: French Cardinal Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas commissioned it for his funerary chapel in Santa Petronilla near St. Peter’s Basilica.
Q19: How did the patron’s death influence the Pietà?
A19: The patron died before its completion, but the work’s unveiling gained Michelangelo recognition, including papal attention.
Q21: Why is the Pietà significant in the Vatican’s history?
A21: It has been displayed in prominent locations, including the New York World’s Fair (1964) and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Q20: How was the Pietà damaged in 1972, and how was it restored?
A20: A geologist attacked it with a hammer, damaging Mary’s arm, nose, and eyelid. Missing fragments were restored, and it is now protected by bulletproof glass.
Q22: How does Humanism influence Michelangelo’s Pietà?
A22: Humanism emphasizes the dignity and beauty of human forms, evident in Christ’s idealized anatomy and Mary’s serene expression.
Q23: What role did patronage play in the creation of the Pietà?
A23: Wealthy patron Cardinal Bilhères sought a work surpassing all others in beauty, enabling Michelangelo to execute an ambitious project.
Q24: How does Neoplatonism influence the Pietà?
A24: The idealized beauty of the figures reflects Neoplatonic ideals that earthly beauty mirrors divine perfection.
Q25: What technical challenges reflect Michelangelo’s study of anatomy?
A25: His dissections informed precise details like veins and muscles, blending realism with Classical idealization.
impact of this commission on his career
In 1497 life was not looking great for Michelangelo, as Riario had declined to accept the Bacchus and Piero de’ Medici, who was in exile had also let Michelangelo down. He also bought a piece of marble that proved defective. He was living with Jacopo Galli and trying to support his brother. This commission changed his situation and helped launch his career.
how does it contrast to northern versions
*In contrast to the Northern versions, the Pietà - Christ’s body does not extend stiffly outward on either side, instead he seems to be sleeping.
*His interpretation of the Pieta was far different than ones previously created by other artists. Michelangelo decided to create a youthful, serene and celestial Virgin Mary instead of a broken hearted and somewhat older woman.
*Michelangelo’s answer to this criticism was simply that women who are chaste retain their beauty longer, which meant that the Virgin would not have aged like other women usually do
what did cardinal bilheres say he wanted
“the most beautiful work of marble in Rome, one that no living artist could better.”
how was this a tomb sculpture
*A subject more popular in Northern Europe (especially France and Germany) than in Italy, the image of the dead Christ stretched across Mary’s lap was probably the choice of the patron. This is a tomb sculpture, and therefore the dead body of Christ would refer to the patron, buried nearby.
who did people initially attribute the work to
‘Gobbo da Milano’.
