During the late 14th century through about the 16th century, Italy and other European countries went through a period of revival of the Greek and Roman classics. This era was known as the Renaissance. European citizens were surrounded by technological, musical and cultural advances. However, one of the most widespread changes that is still taking place today are new techniques in the arts. Artists began to think outside the box and created some of the best paintings of their time. They used different methods than those used by artists of previous centuries, including classicism, secularism, humanism, and individualism. One of the greatest artists of all time, Michelangelo, is most famous for his Italian Renaissance works. His work symbolized the progression and development that artists were making at the time. His sculpture, the Pietà, is a replica of the Virgin Mary holding the dead Jesus in her arms, following his crucifixion. The Pietà demonstrates advances in the arts through its uses of classicism, perspective, realism, and expression. During the Renaissance, a newfound interest in reviving the Greek and Roman classics led to the portrayal of classicism in the arts. This meant that one's paintings or sculptures would illustrate ideas of classical beauty, which were once defined in those traditional cultures. In Pietá, Michelangelo brings out his interpretation of classicism through the representation of the Virgin Mary. At the time of Jesus' crucifixion, he was around 30 years old, which means that Mary was at least 40, if not 50 years old. In other depictions of this great religious scene, the Virgin Mary is depicted looking much older and less “beautiful.” However, Michelangelo makes Mary look young and old...... middle of paper ......which meant she would have been religious; Michelangelo has just created his representation of it. It had not yet been popular in Italy. However, Michelangelo's sculpture showed the progress the Renaissance was making in art. Not only does it create a realistic representation of the scene, but it also incorporates geometric figures. The figure can be constructed in a triangle, with the upper part corresponding to Mary's head. As the triangle widens, the sculpture also widens, towards Mary's dress, Jesus' body and the rock on which she is sitting. This shows that at the time of the Renaissance people were making not only artistic, but also mathematical progress. This meant that people were learning more to understand geometric shapes and incorporating them into their works. Michelangelo's sculpture symbolizes a time of growth and development in the arts, daily life and society.