Piëta 1676

Jan van Somer created this 'Piëta' using etching, a testament to the graphic arts. The somber scene unfolds through tonal gradations, where light articulates form and deep shadows envelop the figures in grief. The body of Christ is centered, reclined across Mary's lap, the composition inviting our gaze to linger on the textures rendered in this work. Notice how the artist deftly uses line and shadow to convey both physical weight and emotional sorrow. In semiotic terms, the iconography is clear: the body, the angels, and Mary all converge in a narrative of mourning. Yet, Somer's formal treatment – his attention to the corporeal reality, and the balance of light and dark – elevates the work beyond a simple religious scene, inviting contemplation on the human condition. The interplay of line and shadow becomes a meditation on death and the materiality of existence.