El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos; Greek, active in Spain, 1541–1614)
The Assumption of the Virgin
INV-8747
El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos; Greek, active in Spain, 1541–1614)1577–79
The Assumption of the Virgin
El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos; Greek, active in Spain, 1541–1614) →Mannerismsixteenth century16th CenturyRenaissanceoil on canvaspaint
Date
1577–79
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
403.2 × 211.8 cm (158 3/4 × 83 7/16 in.); Framed: 461.6 × 256.5 × 14 cm (181 3/4 × 101 × 5 9/16 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Nancy Atwood Sprague in memory of Albert Arnold Sprague
The Assumption of the Virgin was the central image of El Greco’s first major commission, an altarpiece for the Church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo, a convent in Toledo, Spain. The painting’s subject, the raising of the Virgin Mary’s body into heaven, relates to the function of the church as the funerary monument of a wealthy noblewoman, Doña Maria de Silva; the iconography of the entire commission focuses on death and salvation.
El Greco used broad, free brushwork, flickering hues, rich color harmonies, and bold figural arrangements to arouse devotional fervor in the viewer and impart a deep sense of faith. The composition is divided into two zones: the earthly sphere of the apostles and the celestial realm of the angels. El Greco masterfully compressed many figures into a tall and narrow format: In the earthly zone, the apostles’ faces and gestures express a range of emotions through their dynamic, agitated gestures and poses. They are so individually considered that it seems El Greco studied actual studio models. In contrast, the angels in the heavenly scene above are calm, graceful, and direct in their focus toward the looming figure of the Virgin Mary as she rises into their realm.
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