Mary, the mother in the painting, was depicted as a young woman to symbolize the purity of the soul.
The Pieta is a work of Renaissance mold by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. It is the first of various works of a similar topic by the craftsman.
This renowned masterpiece portrays the body of Jesus on the lap of his mom Mary after the Crucifixion. The subject is of Northern beginning. Michelangelo's elucidation of the Pietà is phenomenal in Italian model. It is an imperative work as it adjusts the Renaissance beliefs of traditional magnificence with naturalism.
<span>Michelangelo sculpt the mother figure in his Pieta as a young woman as it is an important work that balances the Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism.</span>
As in "realistically proportioned", it means if you were to stand in a position next to the object or person, it would be how you see things. In this case, the answer would be at the foot level of a person. Hope this helps!