Pietà, with the Virgin, Saint John, and an angel 1505 - 1515

Moderno, or Galeazzo Mondella, created this bronze plaquette titled ‘Pietà, with the Virgin, Saint John, and an angel’ in Italy during the late 15th or early 16th century. The theme of the Pietà, depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, has a deep resonance in Christian art, representing grief, sacrifice, and divine love. The composition invites us to reflect on the emotional intensity of loss, amplified by the supporting figures who are surrounding the body of Christ. This small-scale bronze relief departs from traditional representations by including Saint John and an angel, alongside God, in the upper section, thereby broadening the narrative and emotional scope of the scene. Moderno’s ability to convey deep emotion through bronze is influenced by the sculpture and humanism of the Italian Renaissance. It encourages a dialogue between faith and humanism.