Encased in a glass casket and surrounded by brambles, Pietà presents a haunting meditation on death and transcendence. Departing from the traditional Christian image of the Virgin Mary cradling Christ’s body, Anselm Kiefer strips the scene of comforting symbolism, confronting viewers with the stark reality of mortality. The luminous figure, partially obscured, emerges in fragments, offering a poignant interplay between vulnerability and renewal.

Drawing inspiration from Christian art tradition, including Michelangelo’s Pietà and Hans Holbein the Younger’s The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb, Kiefer reimagines these historical motifs through his unique material vocabulary. The brambles recall Christ’s crown of thorns, while the surrounding earth symbolizes both finality and the promise of regeneration.

Deeply rooted in Kiefer’s Catholic upbringing and his exploration of myth, landscape, and history, Pietà transforms the familiar into a powerful reflection on humanity’s search for meaning in the face of loss and suffering.