The Pieta

By Bruce Shawkey 


Arguably, the most important work of art at the Fair was Michelangelo's 465-year-old masterpiece in carved Carara marble, the Pieta, generally held to be one of the finest examples of Christian art in any medium. Installed in Old St. Peter's Basilica in 1499, it had never been taken from the Vatican until the late Pope John XXIII granted permission for it to be brought to the Fair. The pavilion in which it is exhibited is an oval-shaped building topped by a cross, with a curving wall extending from the entrance. The pavilion and its contents have as their theme, "The Church is Christ Living in the World." 

The Pieta represents the body of Christ in the arms of His mother just after He was taken down from the cross. The work, six feet long by five feet nine inches high, is shown in a setting created by stage designer Jo Mielziner. Spectators are carried past it on three moving platforms at different heights. There is a walkway for those who wish to view it at their own pace. Admission was free.

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I can scarcely imagine the task of moving the Pieta from the Vatican in Italy to the Fair. The sculpture, weighing three tons, was carefully packed in a custom-built crate to ensure its safety. A team of experts supervised the entire moving process to prevent damage. The statue was displayed in a climate-controlled environment to protect it from environmental factors. After the fair, the Pietà was returned to its original location in Vatican City. Pieta translates to pity or compassion in English.

Nor can I imagine the sculpture being moved anywhere to be on display to the general public in this day and age.

The trip to the Fair and back is chronicled in the book "Our Lady of the World’s Fair" by Ruth D. Nelson, published by Three Hills publishing company, 2024.


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