Pietà by Italian [Tuscan] Painter, first quarter of 14th century

Medium

Tempera on panel

Dimensions

Overall: 6 1/4 x 4 5/8 in. (15.8 x 11.8 cm); Picture Surface: 4 3/4 x 3 3/8 in. (12.1 x 8.6 cm)

Classification

Paintings

Culture

Italian, Tuscany

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975

Accession Number

1975.1.4

Tags

Christ

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this petite *Pietà*—measuring just 6 1/4 x 4 5/8 inches—captures a tender moment from Christian iconography: the Virgin Maryling the lifeless body of. Created by an anonymous Tuscan in the first quarter of 14th century, exemplifies the devotional panels cherished by medieval Italians for private prayer and contemplation. Its diminutive scale suggests it was designed for personal devotion, perhaps carried by a pious layperson or placed in a domestic altar. Painted in tempera on panel—a technique using powdered pigments ...

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