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Pietà

1476
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 606
There is still disbelief in the eyes of the Virgin Mary as she embraces Christ’s lifeless body, a sob escaping her parted lips. Saint John the Evangelist mirrors her wailing grief, and Mary Magdalen absorbs the cruelty of Christ’s wounds, holding up his hand in front of the illusionistically rendered stone of his tomb. The gold background contrasts with the detailed figures, pushing them forward so that the viewer must confront their emotions and appreciate the intricacy of Crivelli’s technique, in which each strand of hair is rendered with care. This painting, a remarkable study of human sadness, originally belonged to an elaborate Gothic altarpiece widely considered Crivelli’s masterpiece (National Gallery, London).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Pietà
  • Artist: Carlo Crivelli (Italian, Venice (?), active by 1457–died 1494/95 Ascoli Piceno)
  • Date: 1476
  • Medium: Tempera on wood, gold ground
  • Dimensions: Overall 28 1/4 x 25 3/8 in. (71.8 x 64.5 cm); painted surface 28 x 25 1/8 in. (71.1 x 63.8 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
  • Object Number: 13.178
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
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An Apostle, Carlo Crivelli Italian, Tempera and gold on wood
An Apostle
Carlo Crivelli
ca. 1471–73
Madonna and Child Enthroned, Carlo Crivelli Italian, Tempera on wood, gold ground
Madonna and Child Enthroned
Carlo Crivelli
1472
Saint George, Carlo Crivelli Italian, Tempera on wood, gold ground, transferred to Masonite
Saint George
Carlo Crivelli
1472
Saint Dominic, Carlo Crivelli Italian, Tempera on wood, gold ground
Saint Dominic
Carlo Crivelli
1472
Madonna and Child, Carlo Crivelli Italian, Tempera and gold on wood
Madonna and Child
Carlo Crivelli
ca. 1480

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