Pietà c. 20th century

Curator: Gwendolen Raverat's woodcut, simply titled "Pietà," offers a stark, emotionally charged rendition of a classic scene. Editor: The high contrast and bold lines really hit you. There’s a sense of immediate grief and almost unsettling stillness. Curator: It's a powerful image, but Raverat was working within a strong tradition. Consider how the visual language of Pieta, the Mother embracing her dead son, has been used across time to emphasize themes of suffering, sacrifice, and female strength within patriarchal structures. Editor: Yes, the figures are quite monumental, despite the work's likely small scale. It prompts reflections on maternal loss, but I also wonder about the implied critique of power structures that lead to such suffering. Curator: Precisely, and Raverat’s choice of woodcut—with its inherent roughness—lends an additional layer of rawness to the emotion, avoiding idealization. Editor: It really does stay with you. A poignant reminder of historical pain, echoing into our present moment.