The Ascension of Christ
1720
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1720
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Ascension of Christ is a 1720 chalk by Cosmas Damian Asam, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a group of robed figures floating upward in a swirling motion. Their arms stretch out as if reaching for something above. The lines are loose and quick, with soft red chalk shading over a gray background. The artist used light strokes to suggest movement and weightlessness. This was part of a larger project for a church ceiling. Look next at Baroque.
