The story behind the photograph
The Pietà is a Carrara marble sculpture of Jesus and Mary by Michelangelo, in Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, for which it was made. I made this visit in June of 2024 to Vatican City, and among the many human treasures witnessed, this stands far above most on impact to my heart. The Pietà symbolizes the deep sorrow, maternal sacrifice, and divine compassion of the Virgin Mary holding the lifeless body of Jesus Christ.”
Hope Does Not Disappoint Us · Romans 5:3-5 · On the photograph
“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love”
In Tom Bartel's words
“The Pietà is a Carrara marble sculpture of Jesus and Mary by Michelangelo, in Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, for which it was made.”
Read the story →
From the photograph Rejoice by Tom Bartel, Colorado · View the original →
Format
Crisp detail on archival fine-art paper, set behind glazing in a gallery frame.
Size
Holds a wall on its own, over a console or desk
21.5″ × 31.5″ on the wall, with the frame
Good detail. Made to be seen from a step or two back, as a piece this size usually is.
Frame: Natural
- Printed to order and with you in about 5 to 10 business days.
- $33 shipping within the United States.
- Damaged in transit? We replace it free, within 30 days.
- Each piece is printed for you, so we can’t take back an undamaged one.
A white marble Pietà, the veiled mother seated with the body of her son laid across her lap, her right hand supporting him beneath the arm and her left turned open at her side. Soft directional light falls from the upper left, polishing the folds of drapery into long bright ridges and leaving the deep hollows of cloth in shadow, while the plain grey wall behind holds no detail at all. The group rests on a stepped, faintly veined stone base that catches a warmer tone than the figures above it.
The photograph that inspired this piece
It begins with an original photograph by Tom Bartel of a real place. This version was developed from that photograph in our studio, using digital and AI tools guided by the original’s own composition, and these words set over the finished picture. How these are made.
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