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
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