Date: 1889
Dimensions: 41,5 x 34 cm
Materials: Oil on canvas
Artist: Vincent Van Gogh

The International Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums wish to thank PEDRO TRENGROUSE for supporting the development of Van Gogh's Pietà for the visually impaired.

Project Overview
Since 2011, the Vatican Museums have been implementing accessibility initiatives to make the masterpieces within their collections available to visitors with visual impairments, with the aim of facilitating the appreciation and understanding of the most representative and iconic works associated with the Holy Father.

Within this selected group of works, Pietà by Vincent van Gogh, painted in 1890 only a few months before the artist's death, holds particular significance as it constitutes the only depiction of Christ in the entire oeuvre of the Post-Impressionist master.

The painting is based on a lithograph by Eugène Delacroix and is housed in the Contemporary Art Collection, having been donated by the Diocese of New York in 1973. To enable visitors with visual impairments to fully experience one of the most significant masterpieces of modern art, a perspective bas-relief will been created. 

The Artwork
Painted in 1889 during Van Gogh's stay at Saint-Rémy, the Pietà depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Christ. Inspired by Delacroix, Van Gogh infused the scene with his distinctive color palette and emotional intensity, creating one of the most moving religious works of his career.

The Tactile Experience
In partnership with the Istituto dei Ciechi Francesco Cavazza and the Museo Anteros, the painting will be translated into a tactile bas-relief specifically designed for perceptible exploration. The project includes artistic adaptation, tactile readability testing, specialist supervision, and interpretive texts to support independent exploration.

Impact
This initiative will expand accessibility within the Vatican Museums, allowing blind and partially sighted visitors to engage directly with one of Van Gogh's masterpieces. Beyond accessibility, it demonstrates the Vatican Museums' commitment to inclusion and to making art a shared human experience.