Study for a Piety 

Alfred Dehodencq created this study for a Pieta using pen and brown ink. The image captures a moment heavy with religious and cultural significance: the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus Christ. Drawn in 19th century France, it reflects a period where religious themes were often interwoven with the social and political fabric of the country. The Pieta, as a subject, served not just as a symbol of mourning but also resonated with contemporary notions of sacrifice, suffering, and redemption, values that were deeply ingrained in the cultural psyche of the time. We should remember that in France, the church played a key institutional role in defining social norms. By exploring period writings and studies of the art market, one might uncover how Dehodencq's study participates in or departs from the artistic conventions of his time, shedding light on the nuanced dialogue between art and society.