Sebastiano del Piombo carries out the painting to order and he represents the 'pietà' scene in a very personal way.
First of all the choice of separating the two figures draws attention: the son Jesus, dead, is lying on the floor while Mary, his mother, is standing sorrowful.
The scene is set in stormy weather, a blue breach (recalling the Virgin's mantle) appears in the dark sky and the glacial moon light passes through.
The lines on which the painting is built (the horizontal one of the Son, and the vertical one of the Mother) seem to gain light from the whiteness of the linen where Christ is laying and it therefore becomes the source of light of the painting.

Laid on the linen which the Mother's compassion wanted around the crucified body, the Son shows and offers himself to whoever passes and sees.