pietà

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In Italian art, painting or sculpture, a composition which represents the Madonna seated and bearing in her arms or on her knees the dead body of Christ. The most famous example is the Pietà of Michelangelo in the Capella della Febbre at St. Peter's, Rome.

Wiktionary

1. n. A sculpture or painting of the Virgin Mary holding and mourning the dead body of Jesus.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Fine Arts) A representation of the dead Christ, attended by the Virgin Mary or by holy women and angels.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesus