Lena Rivera
The Assumption of the Virgin, popularly known as the Assunta, is a large altarpiece panel painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Titian. It is housed in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice, Italy, and stands at twenty-two feet high. The painting measures 690 cm by 360 cm and is Titian's first major commissioned work. It is the largest altarpiece in the city, with figures that are larger than life-size.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Assumption of the Virgin, popularly known as Assunta |
| Artist | Tiziano Vecelli, known in English as Titian |
| Year | 1515–1518 |
| Height | 22 feet |
| Dimensions | 690 x 360 cm |
| Medium | Oil on panel |
| Genre | Italian Renaissance |
| Subject | The Assumption of Mary, the Virgin Mary's ascent to heaven |
| Location | Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice |
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What You'll Learn
The painting's size and scale
The Assumption of the Virgin, popularly known as the Assunta, is a large altarpiece panel painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Titian. It was painted between 1515 and 1518 and remains in the position it was designed for—on the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Frari church) in Venice.
The painting is a powerful altarpiece that depicts the Virgin Mary ascending to heaven from her deathbed. It is composed of bold and highly contrasting colours, with a group of apostles below a rising Mary, who is shown as alive and moving towards a group of angels in heaven. The painting measures 690 x 360 cm or 6.9m x 3.6m, and stands at an immense height of twenty-two feet.
The composition of the painting is designed to lead the viewer's eyes upwards in a pyramid shape, beginning with the red-robed apostles at the bottom, to Mary's red dress, and finally, to the red tunic of God himself at the top. The broad conception of the high altar and its elaborate reredos framing the altarpiece was probably designed by Titian to match the painting. The detailed design and execution were likely by Lorenzo Bregno.
The painting is framed by an extension of the altar in marble and gilding, which matches the round top of the choir-screen arch and the scrolling decoration around it. Titian broke with tradition by omitting all landscape elements, although the blue-grey sky above the apostles indicates that the scene is set outdoors. The sky contrasts with the golden heavenly light in the upper zones, recalling the gold ground traditional in mosaics and the gold ground paintings of the Gothic period.
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The Assumption's subject matter
The Assumption of the Virgin, popularly known as the Assunta, is a large altarpiece panel painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Titian. It was painted between 1515 and 1518 and remains in the position it was designed for—on the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari or Frari church in Venice. The painting is an immense 6.9 metres by 3.6 metres (or 690 cm by 360 cm) and stands at over twenty-two feet high.
The subject matter of the painting is the Assumption of Mary, a Catholic doctrine that remained optional in the early 16th century and was not declared an article of faith until 1950. The Assumption of Mary is also a religious scene that is celebrated annually within the Catholic Church. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary as she ascends to heaven from her deathbed. At the base of the picture, glimpses of Mary's stone sarcophagus can be discreetly seen. The broad composition of the painting, with a group of apostles below a rising Mary, who is shown as alive, follows earlier depictions in art.
Titian's painting is brilliantly designed to lead the eye upwards in a pyramid shape, from the red-robed apostles at the bottom, to Mary's red dress, and finally to the red tunic of God himself at the top. The elderly, male personification of God peers down at Mary from the golden light of heaven as an angel beside him carries a crown to present to Mary. The painting's bold and highly contrasting colours also recall the gold ground traditional in mosaics and the gold ground paintings of the Gothic period.
The Assumption of the Virgin demonstrates the dual goals of many Renaissance altarpieces: to support liturgical functions within the church and, as an artwork, to address contemporary art theory and critics.
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The Assumption's place in art history
The Assumption of the Virgin, popularly known as the Assunta, is a large altarpiece panel painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Titian, painted between 1515 and 1518. It is the largest altarpiece in Venice, with figures well over life-size. The Assumption of Mary was a Catholic doctrine that remained optional in the early 16th century and was not declared an article of faith until 1950. The Franciscan order, whose church the Frari is, were keen promoters of this aspect of Marian theology. The doctrine held that the body of the Virgin Mary was "assumed" or moved physically into heaven "at the end of her earthly life".
The Assumption of the Virgin was Titian's first major commission for a church in Venice, and it brought his art great public attention. The painting remains in the position it was designed for, on the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari or Frari church in Venice. The high altar and its elaborate reredos framing the altarpiece were probably designed by Titian to match his painting, with the detailed design and execution likely by Lorenzo Bregno. The painting is framed by an extension of the altar in marble and gilding, matching the round top of the choir-screen arch and the scrolling decoration around it.
The Assumption of the Virgin marked a new direction in Titian's style, reflecting his awareness of the developments in High Renaissance painting in Florence and Rome by artists including Raphael and Michelangelo. Titian broke with tradition by omitting all landscape elements, although the blue-grey sky above the apostles indicates that the scene is set outdoors. The sky contrasts with the golden heavenly light above, recalling the gold ground traditional in mosaics and the gold ground paintings of the Gothic period.
The composition of Titian's painting, with a group of apostles below a rising Mary, who is shown as alive and moving towards a group of angels in heaven, follows earlier depictions in art. The agitated figures of the Apostles marked a break with the usual meditative stillness of saints in Venetian painting, in the tradition of Giovanni Bellini. This may have been rather shocking for the Venetian public at the time, but the work was soon recognised as a masterpiece, confirming Titian's position as a leading artist in Venice and Italy, rivalled only by Michelangelo and Raphael.
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The Assumption's location and framing
The Assumption of the Virgin, popularly known as the Assunta, is a large altarpiece panel painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Titian, painted between 1515 and 1518. It remains in its original location, on the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (or Frari church) in Venice. The painting is the largest altarpiece in the city, with figures well over life-size, a scale necessitated by the large size of the church and the considerable distance between the altar and the congregation.
The painting is framed by an extension of the altar in marble and gilding, which matches the round top of the choir-screen arch and the scrolling decoration around it. The classical style of the frame, with large columns on either side, clashes somewhat with the Gothic style of the church's architecture. However, efforts have been made to minimise this clash by aligning the levels of elements of both the frame and the painting with the zones of the architecture. For example, the top of the cornice of the frame is roughly the same level as the bottom of the third tier of windows, depending on the viewing position.
The painting is also framed by the opening within the church's stone rood screen, which can be seen from the main entrance. The rounded top of the painting allows it to be framed neatly by the choir-screen arch when viewed from the central axis of the church, even from the back of the nave, though from there it appears tiny.
The Assumption depicts the Virgin Mary rising to heaven, surrounded by angels and putti. The figures are arranged in three zones, divided by spaces filled with light. On the ground are the Apostles, tightly packed in a group and striking various dramatic poses, most looking up at the unprecedented sight before them. The scene is set outdoors, as indicated by the blue-grey sky above the apostles, which contrasts with the golden heavenly light in the upper zones.
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Titian's artistic choices
Another significant artistic choice by Titian is his use of bold and highly contrasting colours. The painting is executed in oil on a panel, measuring an impressive 690 cm in height and 360 cm in width. The use of oils allows for a rich and vibrant colour palette, with reds, blues, and golds creating a visually striking image. The blue-grey sky above the apostles, for instance, contrasts with the golden heavenly light above, recalling the traditional gold ground in mosaics and Gothic paintings.
Titian also breaks with tradition in his depiction of the apostles. Instead of the usual meditative stillness of saints in Venetian painting, Titian portrays the apostles with agitated figures, marking a departure from the style of artists such as Giovanni Bellini. This choice may have initially shocked viewers, but it soon came to be recognized as a bold artistic statement, confirming Titian's position as a leading artist in Venice and all of Italy.
Furthermore, Titian makes a subtle but significant choice by including glimpses of Mary's stone sarcophagus at the base of the painting. This element allows viewers who believe in an assumption before death to interpret it in their own way, either ignoring the sarcophagus or seeing it as something else. It demonstrates Titian's sensitivity to theological nuances and his ability to cater to different interpretations.
Finally, the framing and setting of the painting are carefully considered. The Assumption of the Virgin serves as an altarpiece, sitting on or behind the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice. The elaborate reredos framing the altarpiece was likely designed by Titian himself to match the painting. The marble and gilding of the frame echo the scrolling decoration around the choir-screen arch, creating a cohesive and visually stunning ensemble.
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Frequently asked questions
The painting stands at twenty-two feet high.
The painting is located in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari or Frari church in Venice.
The painting measures 690 cm by 360 cm.
