Manuscript Illumination with the Assumption of the Virgin in an Initial G, from a Gradual 1450 - 1460

This manuscript illumination, created by the Italian artist Cosmè Tura between 1450 and 1460, depicts the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Set within an elaborate, gold-leaf initial “G,” the scene features a gathering of the Apostles around the Virgin’s empty tomb, while Mary ascends to heaven above in a halo of light. Tura’s distinct style, characterized by the use of vibrant colors and elongated figures, is evident in this work, which is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.