Pietàs

It's not always easy to decide whether a given painting should be called a Lamentation or a Pietà.   In general, a Lamentation has a group of at least five people surrounding the body of Christ, and the cross is very much in evidence.   In a Pietà, there are usually only one or two persons, and the cross is not visible.

Because of our familiarity with Michelangelo's early Pieta, we expect that only Mary will appear, holding the body of her dead Son --

• Pietà, 1505, by Giovanni Bellini

• Pietà, c. 1540, by Il Sodoma

And the most famous Pietà in the world, by Michelangelo (marble)

Sometimes, however, there are other, or additional, figures surrounding the body --

• Small Circular Pietà, c. 1390, by an unknown French master  (Mary plus four others)

• Pietà, c. 1470, by Carlo Crivelli (two angels)

• Pietà, 1508, by Lorenzo Lotto  (Mary plus two others and one angel)

• Pietà, 1520s, by Moretto da Brescia (Mary plus two others)

• Pietà, c. 1533, by Il Sodoma (Mary plus five others)

• Pietà, c. 1575, by El Greco (Mary plus two others)

• Pietà, 1599-1600, by Annibale Caracci (Mary plus two angels)

Although this work is called a Pieta, it is probably better characterized as a Lamentation due to the number of persons portrayed, the lack of emphasis on Christ's body, and the prominence of the cross --

• Pietà, c. 1365, by Giottino