Artwork
The Assumption of the Virgin with Busts of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation
The Assumption of the Virgin with Busts of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation is a tempera painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Paolo di Giovanni Fei. It dates from 1402 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By pairing the Assumption with the Annunciation, the painting visually connects the beginning of Mary's divine mission with its glorious culmination.
The work depicts the Assumption of the Virgin, a central event in Christian theology where the Virgin Mary is taken bodily into heaven. The composition is supplemented by busts of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation, referencing the moment of the Incarnation. By pairing the Assumption with the Annunciation, the painting visually connects the beginning of Mary's divine mission with its glorious culmination.
This juxtaposition emphasizes the theological narrative of her life, moving from the acceptance of God's will to her ultimate exaltation. The inclusion of these specific figures reinforces the religious significance of Mary's role in salvation history, presenting her as both the humble servant and the glorified Queen of Heaven.
Technique & Style
Created circa 1402, The Assumption of the Virgin with Busts of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation is executed in tempera on a panel support. This medium and format are consistent with the religious painting traditions of Sienese art during the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century. The work is classified as a religious genre piece, reflecting the devotional practices of its time.
History & Provenance
The Assumption of the Virgin with Busts of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation was painted by Paolo di Giovanni Fei circa 1402 in tempera on panel. It entered the collection of Marchese Bonaventura Chigi Zondadari in Siena by 1904, passing to his heirs thereafter. Around 1947–1948 the work was handled by the dealer Alberto Riccoboni before being acquired by Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi of Florence.
Contini Bonacossi sold the panel, together with twenty-seven other pictures, to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in New York in July 1948; the foundation donated it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1961.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection, accessioned as 1961.1.13. It was previously in the collection of Marchese Bonaventura Chigi Zondadari in Siena by 1904, later passing through dealers Alberto Riccoboni and Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi before being acquired by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1948 and subsequently gifted to the National Gallery of Art in 1961.
Overview
Paolo di Giovanni Fei, a painter active in Siena during the late 14th and early 15th centuries, created The Assumption of the Virgin with Busts of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation around 1402. This tempera on panel painting illustrates the Virgin Mary's ascent into heaven, a central theme in Christian art. The work also incorporates additional devotional elements, including representations of the Annunciation, reflecting the period's artistic conventions.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Paolo di Giovanni Fei (c. 1345 – c. 1411) was a painter of the Sienese school. He came to Siena from San Quirico, Castelvecchio, held public positions in Siena from 1369 and was first mentioned in the Sienese register…
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