Artwork
The Assumption of the Virgin
The Assumption of the Virgin is an oil painting by Charles Poerson. It dates from 1648 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1648, Charles Poerson’s oil painting titled *The Assumption of the Virgin* presents the biblical moment when Mary is taken up into heaven. Executed in the Baroque period, the work is part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection and exemplifies the era’s religious narrative art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the Virgin Mary, clothed in white with a flowing blue mantle, being elevated by a host of angels. Below, a group of figures—saints and mourners—gather around an empty tomb, their gazes directed upward, emphasizing the triumph of the celestial over the earthly.
Technique & Style
Poerson employs oil on canvas to achieve a dramatic chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model forms and guide the eye toward the ascending figure. The luminous rendering of the angels and the deepened background create a sense of spatial depth characteristic of 17th‑century French Baroque painting.
History & Provenance
A native of France, Poerson was active in the mid‑1600s and also served as the first instructor to his son, Charles‑François Poerson, who later pursued a painting career. The canvas entered the National Gallery of Ireland’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on display as a representative example of French religious art of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Poerson (c. 1609 - 1667) was a French painter. He is also notable as the father and tutor of the painter Charles-François Poerson.
