The artistic representation of Our Lady's sharing in Christ's Passion is one that is often depicted in an ethereal and picturesque way. This is often done to emphasize the heavenly nature of Jesus and Mary through their suffering. In this painting, Gabriel attempts to capture the more visceral and raw side of the Passion. Mary clutches the dead body of her beloved Son to her, kissing his head as she must have done a thousand times before. Her eyes stare into those of the viewer, raw with the grief of a mother who watched her Son killed in front of her. The shadow of the Cross falls across both her and Jesus, symbolizing their sharing in the Passion. Behind her, lightning strikes Jerusalem, showing their (and our) guilt before God.
The Pieta original oil painting is not available. Prints are available in our shop.
