Piëta 1581 - 1612

Karel van Mallery’s etching "Piëta" (1581-1612) depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the body of her son, Jesus Christ, after his crucifixion. The detail of Mary’s grief is rendered with sensitivity, while the depiction of Christ’s lifeless body is both solemn and powerful. This small-scale engraving, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, is a poignant testament to the enduring power of the Piëta theme in art history.