The “Pietà” (c. 1498-1500) was Michelangelo’s first “number one hit.” At the ripe old age of 23 years, he had produced one of the greatest statues of all time. The innocence, sensitivity, and stillness of this particular early work would, in my opinion, never be achieved again in Michelangelo’s 72-year career. Housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Michelangelo’s statute remains the most famous interpretation of the subject.
