Hemelvaart van Maria 1670 - 1682

Melchior Küsel created this engraving, *The Ascension of Mary*, sometime in the 17th century. Küsel, who lived through the tail end of the 30 Years War, made work that reflects the anxieties and spiritual fervor of his era. At the bottom, we see the Apostles gazing upwards, a mass of figures straining to witness Mary's bodily ascent into Heaven. The use of engraving lends a crispness to the scene, heightening the emotional tension. The Apostles' expressions of awe and wonder draw us in, inviting us to contemplate the miraculous. Above, Mary is carried aloft by angels, who are rendered with delicate detail. How does this image function as a tool of faith, reinforcing the idea of divine intervention? The ascension narrative offers a powerful image of female divinity, but also raises questions about women's roles and the male gaze within religious art. How does the artist negotiate these complex gendered dynamics?