Artwork
The Assumption of the Virgin
The Assumption of the Virgin is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Juan Vicente Ribera. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the ascending Virgin, framed by clouds and surrounded by attendant angels whose presence underscores the divine nature of the event.
The painting represents the Assumption of the Virgin, a central episode in Catholic tradition in which the body of Mary is taken up into heaven at the end of her earthly life. The composition centers on the ascending Virgin, framed by clouds and surrounded by attendant angels whose presence underscores the divine nature of the event.
Doves appear as symbols of the Holy Spirit, reinforcing the theological context of Mary’s bodily assumption and her role as theotokos. Floral motifs in the lower register further evoke purity and sanctity, aligning with the Marian iconography of the period.
Technique & Style
The Assumption of the Virgin is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for large-scale Spanish devotional painting of the period. The work measures 188 cm in height by 149 cm in width, giving it a tall, vertical format suited to its ascending composition. Its iconography centers on the Assumption of Mary, accompanied by angels, flowers, clouds, and doves as symbols.
Stylistically, the painting belongs to the religious genre tradition associated with Juan Vicente Ribera, dated to 1700. The depicted elements, clouds and ascending figures, suggest a dynamic vertical arrangement typical of Assumption imagery, while the canvas dimensions indicate a substantial altarpiece-scale work.
History & Provenance
Juan Vicente Ribera executed The Assumption of the Virgin in 1700. Created as a religious oil painting on canvas, the work measures 188 cm in height and 149 cm in width. The composition depicts the Assumption of Mary, featuring angels, clouds, flowers, and doves as symbolic elements.
Historically, the painting was held in the collection of the Museo de la Trinidad. It currently resides in the holdings of the Museo del Prado.
The Assumption of the Virgin by Juan Vicente Ribera is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Historical records indicate the work was formerly part of the Museo de la Trinidad before its transfer to its present location. The painting is cataloged within the Prado's inventory as an oil on canvas religious work created in 1700. No specific accession number or documented exhibition history is provided in the available sources.
Overview
Juan Vicente Ribera's The Assumption of the Virgin, painted in 1700, is an oil work depicting the Virgin Mary's ascent to heaven. This piece exemplifies the early Baroque Italian style that influenced Spanish painting at the turn of the 18th century. It is currently housed in the Museo del Prado, representing a significant example of religious art from this period.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Juan Vicente Ribera was a Spanish painter, practicing at Madrid in the early part of the 18th century.
