Final answer:
The Röttgen Pietà statue's main characteristic is the artist's exaggerated portrayal of Mary's sorrow, which emphasizes the shared human experience of suffering and creates a strong emotional response in viewers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main characteristic of the Röttgen Pietà statue is the exaggerated depiction of Mary's sorrow as she holds her deceased son, Jesus. The Röttgen Pietà, crafted between 1300-1325, is a painted wood sculpture that stands out among other Pietàs primarily because of the powerful emotional response it invokes in the viewer. It is seen as the most gruesome example of extant Pietà statues, showcasing the intense human pain and suffering that Mary appears to share with her son. This reflection of pain aimed to provide medieval viewers with a personal connection to the divine, emphasizing the shared experience of suffering between humanity and their God.
In contrast to some depictions that show Mary at peace due to her foreknowledge of the Resurrection, the Mary in the Röttgen Pietà is presented with an expression of anger and confusion, seemingly unaware of Christ's future resurrection. This unique portrayal emphasizes her humanity and the authentic, raw emotion of the moment. Gothic art, particularly in Northern Europe, was intended to draw a direct emotional response from the audience, and the Röttgen Pietà fulfills this purpose by stirring feelings such as revulsion, horror, or sympathy.