Pieta (Pity)

To the right of the entrance to St. Peter's Basilica, in a small niche, a young beautiful woman bent mournfully over the body of the person closest to her, this is Pieta, the most famous and most recognizable sculpture on a religious theme in the world. Michelangelo sculpted her when he was just as young, at 24 years old. He was immensely proud of his masterpiece when the sculpture was put on public display in 1499. To his dismay, he heard a group of people attribute the work to another sculptor. He flared up and, sneaking into the church, when no one saw him, carved the following words on the belt that crosses Mary's chest: "MICHAELAGELUS BONAROTUS FLORENTIN FACIEBA" ("Michelangelo Buonarroti the Florentine did it"). He later regretted his burst of pride and vowed never to sign any other works.