Michelangelo's Pietà

La Pietà by Michelangelo is one of history's most famous sculptures. The statue was completed in 1499 and depicts Jesus and the Virgin Mary, the latter represented in a very youthful and peaceful state, as a commission for the French cardinal Jean de Billheres.

The piece was originally placed in the Chapel of Santa Petronilla at Saint Peter's in Rome; however, it was moved several times throughout the years to accomodate renovations, causing substantial damage to Mary's fingers. In a highly infamous move in 1972, a geologist attacked the sculpture with a hammer, after which La Pietà had to undergo major restoration.

The piece now resides inside a bullet-proof box, once again at Saint Peter's.