Book excerpt: The magnificent three Pieta, now in Rome, Florence and Milan, are here introduced by Antonio Paolucci, head of the Florence Soprintendenza and former Minister of Cultural Services in Italy. The works are captured both in their entirety, and in close-ups which reveal the tiniest detail by Aurelio Amendola, one of the leading international photographers of sculpture. The St Peter's Pieta, reflects the classical ideals of the Renaissance: calm and order. Traces of expressive drama appear in the Pieta of Santa Maria del Fiore, and the culmination of this feeling is found in the unfinished Rondanini Pieta, a tormented figure reflecting the artist's religious anxiety. This outstanding book is a pleasure to look at and will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in sculpture and the Italian Renaissance.