"Pieta"
H.J. Sinkel
oil on wood panel
49" x 74"
1862
In Christian tradition, the Mother of God is closely allied with her Divine Son. Her Fiat - - may it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38) - - extends throughout the Gospel until, standing beneath the cross of her dying son, she is finally overcome with grief.
This powerful image - -Mary cradling the lifeless body of her son - -has inspired artist through the centuries, most notably Michelangelo in the 16th century. Much like Michelangelo's peerless marble, Sinkel's work depicts the Virgin not as a woman disfigured by grief but young and fair, symbolizing Mary's enduring purity and abiding acceptance of God's will.
Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine
8300 Vineland Avenue
Orlando, Florida 32821
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