Overview
The French cardinal Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas commissioned the group in 1498 for his funerary chapel in Old St. Peter’s. Michelangelo finished it within about a year, before he turned 25.
Description
Mary, shown young and serene, holds Christ across her lap in a stable pyramidal composition, the marble polished to an unusual finish. After overhearing the work attributed to another sculptor, Michelangelo carved his name on the band across Mary’s chest — his only signature.
History and legacy
The Pietà made Michelangelo’s reputation and was moved into the new St. Peter’s, where it remains. In 1972 a hammer-wielding attacker badly damaged Mary’s face and arm; after restoration the sculpture has been displayed behind protective glass.