The Pietá, by Michelangelo

What emotions do you feel when you look at Michelangelo's Pieta. How does Michelangelo communicate these emotions?

Coco: I feel Mary's anger and sadness. Where Mary is holding Jesus under his arm, you can see the way the pressure of her hand pushes his skin up.

Vaya: I feel touched by how much Mary cared for her son. Michelangelo expresses emotions by carving a solemn look into Mary's face. Also, the way that Mary is holding Jesus shows that she has lost a loved one.

Artie: Sadness. Mary's left hand looks relaxed, as if she has given up.

Maxwell: The angle of Jesus's neck really gives you the feeling of his death.

Tilly: Mary's eyes have so much emotion in them, even though they are closed.

Sylvie: Sadness. The look on Mary's face says it all.

The Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel Ceiling

After sculpting the Pietá, Michelangelo never signed another piece of artwork. Why not?

Jack C.: He wanted to leave himself a mystery -- to have people look at his art and just imagine who this talented person might be.

Maya G.: Michelangelo realized what he did with the Pietá was selfish. The statue had been placed in front of a church, to symbolize something greater than himself.

Jack D.: He didn't want people to focus on looking for his signature, but to look at the whole masterpiece instead.

Celia Belle: He became more humble, and did not want to draw attention to himself but to the art instead.

Cathedral Ceiling and Flags, by Brehanu