Artwork

The Assumption of the Virgin (copy of the fresco in the cupola of Parma Cathedral)

The Assumption of the Virgin (copy of the fresco in the cupola of Parma Cathedral) is a tempera painting by the Mannerist artist Correggio. It dates from 1521 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1521, this tempera panel reproduces the composition originally painted by Antonio da Correggio for the dome of Parma Cathedral. The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and presents a celestial vision of the Virgin’s ascent, arranged within a harmonious, softly lit sky.

Subject & Meaning

At the centre of the scene the Virgin Mary is shown rising toward heaven, encircled by a radiant halo. Surrounding her, groups of angels support her ascent while other figures look upward, embodying the theological theme of the Assumption and the triumph of divine grace.

Technique & Style

Executed in tempera, the painting displays the fine brushwork and layered coloration typical of early 16th‑century Italian practice. Correggio’s handling creates a delicate atmospheric depth, with muted background tones that enhance the luminous figures and convey a sense of ethereal movement.

History & Provenance

The panel is a copy of the original fresco that once adorned the cupola of Parma Cathedral, a work for which Correggio was celebrated. It entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings in the 19th century, where it has been preserved as an example of the artist’s religious repertoire and the diffusion of his designs beyond their architectural settings.

Artist & collection

Artist

Correggio

Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also UK: , US: , Italian: ), was an Italian Renaissance painter who was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High…