Assumption of the Virgin (recto); Sketches of Architectural Details (verso) n.d.

This drawing of the Assumption of the Virgin was made with pen and brown ink, with gray wash over traces of black chalk. We don't know who made this drawing, but its style suggests that it was made somewhere in Italy. The Assumption of the Virgin, which shows Mary rising bodily into heaven, surrounded by angels, was a very common subject for Renaissance artists. The drawing shows architectural details on the verso, indicating that it was made in connection with the construction of a church. We can see the influence of religious doctrine on art, as the depiction of the Virgin Mary was intended to promote certain beliefs within the Catholic Church. The institutional context in which art is made—whether for a church, a private patron, or a museum—influences its meaning and interpretation. By looking at the materials and techniques used in this drawing, and by comparing it to other works from the same time period, art historians can learn more about the cultural and social conditions in which it was made.