Assumption of the Virgin
Quick Summary
The Assumption of the Virgin is a religious motif in Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic theology. It refers to the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken into heaven body and soul after her earthly life. This concept is not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament, but it is related to the Ascension of Jesus. The doctrine signifies Mary's complete redemption and anticipates the future glorification of humanity.
The development of this doctrine is linked to a feast day, originally commemorating Mary's "dormition" (falling asleep), which evolved into a celebration of her Assumption. This feast originated in the Byzantine Empire and later spread to the West, where the term "Assumption" gained prominence. The doctrine was formally declared dogma for Roman Catholics by Pope Pius XII in 1950. While a common theme in Christian art, particularly from the late Middle Ages, its acceptance varies among different Christian traditions.12
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CorreggioMature worksfresco of the Assumption of the Virgin (completed c. 1530) in the dome of the nearby cathedral of Parma marks the culmination of Correggio’s career as a mural painter. This fresco (a painting in plaster with water-soluble pigments) anticipates the Baroque style of dramatically illusionistic ceiling painting. The…
Read Morefresco of the Assumption of the Virgin (completed c. 1530) in the dome of the nearby cathedral of Parma marks the culmination of Correggio’s career as a mural painter. This fresco (a painting in plaster with water-soluble pigments) anticipates the Baroque style of dramatically illusionistic ceiling painting. The…
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El GrecoMiddle years…painting for the high altar, Assumption of the Virgin, also marked a new period in the artist’s life, revealing the full extent of his genius. The figures are brought close into the foreground, and in the Apostles a new brilliance of color is achieved. The technique remains Venetian in the…
Read More…painting for the high altar, Assumption of the Virgin, also marked a new period in the artist’s life, revealing the full extent of his genius. The figures are brought close into the foreground, and in the Apostles a new brilliance of color is achieved. The technique remains Venetian in the…
Read More- Matthias Grünewald
…two fixed wings to the altarpiece of the Assumption of the Virgin recently completed by the painter Albrecht Dürer. These wings depicting four saints are painted in grisaille (shades of gray) and already show the artist at the height of his powers. Like Grünewald’s drawings, which are done primarily in…
Read More…two fixed wings to the altarpiece of the Assumption of the Virgin recently completed by the painter Albrecht Dürer. These wings depicting four saints are painted in grisaille (shades of gray) and already show the artist at the height of his powers. Like Grünewald’s drawings, which are done primarily in…
Read More - Scipione Pulzone
…his painting of the “Assumption of the Virgin” (1585; Rome), Pulzone displayed references to pre-Mannerist, Venetian, and Sienese traditions in his style of religious figuration. The artist painted many of the aristocracy and clerics of Rome. The “Portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese” (National Gallery, Rome) and “Portrait of a…
Read More…his painting of the “Assumption of the Virgin” (1585; Rome), Pulzone displayed references to pre-Mannerist, Venetian, and Sienese traditions in his style of religious figuration. The artist painted many of the aristocracy and clerics of Rome. The “Portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese” (National Gallery, Rome) and “Portrait of a…
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