Pietà
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
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.178
Tags
Art Historical Context
Carlo Crivelli’s *Pietà* of 1476 presents the Virgin Mary tenderly cradling the lifeless Christ, accompanied by Mary Magdalene in a scene of quiet grief. Painted when the artist was at the height of his career in the Marche region of Italy, the work captures the emotional intensity of the Lamentation while reflecting the devotional needs of its time. The compact format suggests it was intended for private prayer, inviting the viewer into an intimate encounter with sorrow and redemption. Crivelli executed the panel in tempera on wood with a gold ground, a traditional technique that heightens t...