Artwork
The Ascension
The Ascension is a print by Andrea Marelli. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Andrea Marelli’s engraving titled *The Ascension*, dated to around 1550, is a paper print that reproduces a composition once linked to Raphael. The plate bears the inscription “Andreas Marelli inc.” indicating the artist’s involvement in its production.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a bearded figure ascending into the heavens with arms outstretched, surrounded by luminous clouds and rays of light. Below, a gathering of robed figures—some kneeling, others standing with uplifted hands—gaze upward, while two winged beings hover above them. A distant town with towers provides a terrestrial backdrop, suggesting a celestial event observed by the faithful.
Technique & Style
Marelli employs strong chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and stark contrasts to heighten the drama of the scene. The illuminated central figure is rendered in bright tones, drawing the eye, whereas the crowd and landscape remain in darker values, reinforcing the sense of divine illumination.
History & Provenance
The engraving is not listed in Charles Le Blanc’s mid‑19th‑century catalogue *Manuel de l’Amateur d’Estampes*, indicating it may have been overlooked or considered a peripheral work at that time. No further documented ownership or exhibition history is presently recorded.
Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea Marelli made religious prints in the 1500s. One is *The Ascension*, a mid-to-late 1600s engraving showing Christ rising into clouds. His work belongs to the printmaking tradition of that era, using lines to build…
