Pietà

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Devotional images that emphasize the physical sufferings of Christ developed early in the 14th century. This example, which derives from a Bohemian type known as a vesperbild, or Virgin of Sorrows, belongs to this tradition. Early examples represent the Virgin in a state of great emotion, but by the 15th century her demeanor is more calm and contemplative. The lyrical naturalism of the figure heralds the beginning of the German Late Gothic style.

Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world. Displayed in both The Met Fifth Avenue and in the Museum's branch in northern Manhattan, The Met Cloisters, the collection encompasses the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome in the fourth century to the beginning of the Renaissance in the early sixteenth century. It also includes pre-medieval European works of art created during the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.

Metropolitan Museum of Art