The artwork titled “Piéta” was created by Bernard Buffet in the year 1948. This piece falls within the Expressionist and Miserablist art movements and is categorized as a religious painting. It embodies the profound sorrow and stark realism distinctive of these art styles.
In this somber depiction, the artwork presents a pale, gaunt figure of Jesus on the cross, characterized by a stark, almost skeletal form. His arms are outstretched, nailed to the cross, with visible signs of anguish. At the base of the cross kneels a sorrowful, dark-robed figure, presumably representing Mary in profound grief. The artist’s use of elongated, exaggerated features and sparsely detailed background emphasizes the emotional gravity and desolation of the scene. The presence of the ladder further suggests the act of descent from the cross, deepening the narrative of sorrow and sacrifice. The muted color palette and rigid lines are symbolic of the stark, raw emotion and suffering conveyed through the painting.
