Pieta Compare And Contrast

At first glance, these two sculptures look identical. It is no coincidence that they have the same name. Pieta definition is “a representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the body of the dead Christ, usually shown held on her lap (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pieta).” The sculptures are devotional pieces for any religion in which this scene pertains.
The similarities between these two works of art are profound. They both show the overwhelming devastation of Mary's face looking upon her deceased son. Christ, her son, displays a peaceful expression on his face in both of the works. The body of Christ is laying in a limp fashion across the legs of his mother, who is sitting upright on a bench. The artists also show Mary dressed in heavy clothing which drapes over
her legs and onto the floor.
Christ is shown only wearing cloth around his waist. Both of the sculptures feature Mary and Christ with smooth skin, a remarkable touch considering the materials used and the techniques used to make the works.
Although the pieces are very similar, there are differences between them in terms of material, style and degree of realism. Pieta created by Tilman Riemenschneider was made out of wood while Pieta made by Michelangelo was created out of marble stone. Both of the works were done by carving. “When carving wood, the artist uses sharp tools to cut and gouge the surface. The artist must also consider the wood's grain and work carefully with the grain (https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/51782/viewContent/1803656/View)”. Marble is made from limestone then chiseled to fit the artists needs. In understanding the way in which the sculptures were constructed, it makes me have a great appreciation for them. It also shows the amount of hard work that was put into making them. The style of both of these
pieces are representational. Although, in studying both version, I notice that some parts are slightly unproportional. Mary is shown being very large in consideration to Christ in both works. She looks as though if she stood up, she would tower over her son. In Tilman Riemenschneider piece, he shows Christ with a large head in proportion to his small body frame. He appears to look almost like a bobble head. This could have been done to show the ill state that starvation had left him in. In terms of realism, I think that both versions look life-like but Michelangelo’s looks more realistic due to the unproportality of Riemenschneider‘s piece. In Tilman Riemenschneider‘s version, Christ looks as though “the limp body could slip off onto the floor (Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World, Anderson and Carson, pg.139).” This touch adds a realistic quality and enhances its degree of realism. The prominent facial features and exposure of bulging ribs and muscles gives Michelangelo’s work more of a realistic look.
Out of the two Pieta sculptures, the one by Michelangelo is my favorite. I enjoy the classical medium used in this piece. The marble made sculpture takes on a traditional look which I admire. I also feel a heightened emotional connection with this piece of art. The smooth faces of Mary and Christ show more realistic looking emotion. I also think that the proportions of the figures are more realistic, making it feel as though I am looking at real people frozen in time.