Artwork
Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Assumption of the Virgin Mary is a fresco painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Annibale Carracci. It dates from 1604 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
Annibale Carracci’s *Assumption of the Virgin Mary* (1604) is an oil painting on canvas that presents the biblical episode of Mary’s bodily ascent to heaven. Executed during the early Baroque period, the work balances a calm, devotional atmosphere with a subtle sense of movement, reflecting Carracci’s synthesis of classical compositional order and emerging Baroque dynamism.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the Virgin, clothed in a luminous white mantle over a reddish‑brown garment, her arms uplifted as she rises toward the celestial realm. Six winged cherubs surround her, their gazes directed upward, emphasizing the heavenly destination and underscoring themes of divine grace, purity, and the triumph of faith.
Technique & Style
Carracci employs a restrained palette of warm yellows, soft whites, and muted earth tones, rendered with gentle brushwork that softens edges and creates a tranquil ambience. The figures are modeled with a subtle chiaroscuro that gives volume without harsh contrast, while the arrangement of the cherubs and the Virgin follows a harmonious, balanced geometry typical of Carracci’s classical training.
History & Provenance
Completed in 1604 while Carracci was active in Rome after his influential tenure at the Palazzo Farnese, the painting later entered the collection of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. Its presence in the museum reflects the work’s journey from Italian Baroque workshops to a public institution, where it remains accessible for study and appreciation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Annibale Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian: ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome.
