The Assumption of the Virgin Mary does not appear in the New Testament, but appears in apocryphal literature of the 3rd and 4th centuries, and by 1000 was widely believed in the Western Church, though not made formal Catholic dogma until 1950.[1] It first became a popular subject in Western Christian art in the 12th century, along with other narrative scenes from the Life of the Virgin, and the Coronation of the Virgin. These "Marian" subjects were especially promoted by the Cistercian Order and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153).[2]
Literary accounts with more detail, such as the presence of the Apostles, appeared in late medieval works such as the Golden Legend, and were followed by artists.[3] By the end of the Middle Ages, large and crowded altarpieces gave the artist the opportunity to show his virtuosity in composition, colouring and figure poses. After the Reformation, it was used to assert the Catholic position, rejected by Protestants.[4]
Nicola Filotesio, 1515–16, Death of the Virgin below, Assumption above.
Normally accompanied or carried by angels (but not usually carried by Christ, as in Orthodox icons) the Virgin Mary rises passively heavenward, where she is to be crowned by Christ, while the Apostles below surround her empty tomb as they stare up in awe. God the Father or Christ (as in the Orthodox Dormition) may be seen in the heavens above. She may be surrounded with an almond-shaped mandorla. Her hands are usually clasped in prayer in medieval images, but later may be thrown wide, as she gazes up, as in Titian's highly influential altarpiece for the Frari Church (1515–18) in Venice, which agitated the previously decorous apostles.[5] Examples include works by El Greco, Rubens (several compositions),[6] Annibale Caracci, and Nicolas Poussin, the last replacing the Apostles with putti throwing flowers into the tomb.[7]
TheAssumptionofMary is one ofthe four Marian dogmas ofthe Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it on 1 November 1950 in his apostolic constitution...
folk art. Some Marian art subjects include the: Annunciation Adoration ofthe Magi Adoration ofthe shepherds AssumptionoftheVirginMaryinArt Coronation...
Mary has been one ofthe major subjects of Western art for centuries. There is an enormous quantity of Marian artinthe Catholic Church, covering both...
The Basilica ofthe National Shrine oftheAssumptionofthe Blessed VirginMary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, is a Catholic cathedral in Baltimore...
The Death oftheVirginMary is a common subject in Western Christian art, the equivalent ofthe Dormition ofthe Theotokos in Eastern Orthodox art. This...
Church ofthe Sepulchre of Saint Mary, also Tomb oftheVirginMary (Hebrew: קבר מרים; Arabic: قبر السيدة العذراء مريم; Greek: Τάφος της Παναγίας; Armenian:...
A shrine to theVirginMary, or Marian shrine, is a shrine marking an apparition or other miracle ascribed to the Blessed VirginMary, or a site on which...
The Coronation oftheVirgin or Coronation ofMary is a subject in Christian art, especially popular in Italy inthe 13th to 15th centuries, but continuing...
Mary, the mother of Jesus in Christianity, is known by many different titles (Blessed Mother, VirginMary, Mother of God, Our Lady, Holy Virgin), epithets...
from the Old Testament play a part intheartof most denominations. Images oftheVirginMary and saints are much rarer in Protestant art than that of Roman...
Testament that Mary lived for 11 years after the death of Jesus, dying in AD 41. The use ofthe term dormition expresses the belief that theVirgin died without...
Franciscan Crown form of Rosary, which uses the Seven Joys, but omits the Ascension and Pentecost. Depiction inartoftheAssumptionofMary may replace or...
oftheVirginMary. The Protoevangelium of James relates that when Mary, at the age of three, was sent to the temple by her parents, a procession of virgin...
Queen of Heaven (Latin: Regina Caeli) is a title given to theVirginMary, by Christians mainly ofthe Catholic Church and, to a lesser extent, in Anglicanism...
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