Pieta (recto); Madonna and two Cherubs in pen and brown ink; copy of a drawing in the Louvre which is attributed to Raphael (verso) 1500 - 1600

This pen and brown ink drawing, a copy of a work attributed to Raphael, presents us with a poignant Pietà. Mary stands behind the body of Christ, her outstretched hands evoking centuries of iconic representations of grief and supplication. These gestures are not unique to Christian art; we see similar expressions of mourning in ancient Roman sculptures and even in the grieving figures of ancient Greek tragedies. Consider Niobe, whose children were slain, forever weeping in stone. This archetypal posture of lamentation transcends cultural boundaries, echoing in countless artistic renderings of sorrow. The emotional power of the Pietà lies in its raw depiction of maternal loss. This universal experience resonates deeply within our collective consciousness, stirring primal emotions and subconscious memories. The cycle continues, as this motif resurfaces time and again, shaped by the evolving human psyche.