This guest essay reflects the views of Ruth D. Nelson, and is excerpted from her book "Our Lady of the World's Fair: Bringing Michelangelo's "Pietà" to Queens in 1964." The 1964–1965 New York ...

By his early twenties, Michelangelo had already carved the Pieta, a sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus. It was a masterpiece, brimming with emotion.

Thursday, March 6, marked the 550th anniversary of the birth of Michelangelo Buonarroti. He won’t be blowing out any candles, of course, but his work retains its grip on the public imagination.