The scene of the Pieta shows the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Christ after his crucifixion, death, and removal from the cross, before he was placed in the tomb.  This is one of the key events from the life of the Virgin. The Crucifixion of Jesus is known as one of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, which were the subject of Catholic devotional prayers. 

 

This statue of the Pieta resembles that of Michelangelo’s original Pieta, which is on display today in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This Carrara marble statue helped launch Michelangelo’s career unlike any other previous work he has done.

 

This was a special work of art even in the Renaissance because at the time, multi-figured sculptures were rare.  These two figures are carved so as to appear in a unified composition which forms the shape of a pyramid, something that other Renaissance artists (i.e. Leonardo da Vinci) also favored.