Assumption of the Virgin n.d.

Curator: This is Francesco Bartolozzi's "Assumption of the Virgin." It’s an undated work using pen, brown ink, with brown and colored washes, gouache and pencil on paper, currently held here at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: My first thought? It's…swirling. Like figures caught in an updraft, tumbling upwards. Is it just me, or does it feel less about ascension and more about being swept away? Curator: That sense of dynamic movement is absolutely key. Bartolozzi was a master of conveying Baroque drama within a relatively small space. Look at how he uses the swirling drapery to create a vortex, drawing the eye upwards towards the figure of God at the top. Editor: And that wash technique—almost like watercolor—really softens the edges. It blurs the lines between heaven and earth, doesn't it? Like a dream dissolving into reality. Or is it the other way around? I wonder, do you see intentional tension between that clearly delineated, very firm, God-like image compared with the softer body shapes that flow organically into each other? Curator: I think so, certainly that contrast emphasizes the divine intervention at play. But also, note the very formal symmetry in the composition. Bartolozzi is consciously placing the divine on a stage for us. The soft, blended technique may enhance this formal aspect that we may see. Editor: So, what are we really looking at here? Is this devotion? Religious ecstasy? Or perhaps it’s Bartolozzi just showing off his ability to capture motion, drapery, and human anatomy all in one breath. It seems so alive and spontaneous, this must have been such a technical piece. Curator: Well, Bartolozzi was known for his skill as an engraver and printmaker, and you can see that emphasis on line and detail in this drawing. The figures are beautifully rendered, and the composition is very carefully balanced. So it's both a technical showpiece and a deeply felt religious image, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely. After all, that’s a question we’ve considered with every painting we’ve reviewed here, whether we’re more impressed with how beautiful something is or by how technically sound it is. It always boils down to what the artist tries to highlight the most and what moves the viewer the most. Curator: A perfectly fluid and upward perspective on “The Assumption of the Virgin”.