Why it matters
In this unfinished marble roundel, only the heads of Mary and the Christ Child are carved in high relief. Mary, an open book on her knees, seems to gaze into the distance as if meditating on her son's fate.
Did you know?
- Michelangelo worked on it in 1503–1504, the same years as his David.
- It was commissioned by Bartolomeo Pitti.
- It remained unfinished when Michelangelo left for Rome.
Based on the Wikipedia article Pitti Tondo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
