The Assumption of the Virgin 1625 - 1713

Curator: Looking at "The Assumption of the Virgin," a drawing from the late 17th to early 18th century by Carlo Maratti, the first thing that strikes me is its lightness despite the weight of its subject. Editor: Yes, a rather weightless ascent, wouldn't you say? Despite being a depiction of the Virgin Mary's assumption into heaven, there's something so effortlessly graceful about it, even joyful. The Baroque dynamism is unmistakable. Curator: Exactly! Maratti, while deeply rooted in the Roman Baroque tradition, also injected a certain classicism. He was hugely influential at a time when the church very publicly and intentionally embraced the arts to counter the rising tide of the protestant reformation. This image served to re-emphasize the authority and power of the church, framing Mary as a key intercessor. Editor: Considering that, it's interesting to note how relatively subdued the drama feels, compared to other artists of the time. The Virgin's pose, with her arms open in acceptance, her gaze directed upward—it’s all incredibly powerful in its own right, even intimate, somehow. You can consider the historical role of women and reflect how power is viewed, both the Madonna's, as well as our own relationship to it, as observers. Curator: And those cherubs are hardly paragons of innocent subservience; they really convey movement! You have to think about the visual language—the floating upward of figures from a base, usually a tomb—as a deliberate effort to counter what the Church at the time was framing as 'dangerous' or impure imagery, making explicit, literally elevated claims. It had strong messaging! Editor: I agree; this print reflects the complex religious, political, and cultural shifts of the time through its rendering of ascension. One cannot forget how, when and why certain narratives are pushed onto the stage of history; that act in itself deserves as much thought as anything else in this image. Curator: Definitely something to take away and ponder; thank you for sharing these insights. Editor: Thank you! A privilege to offer this perspective to others, I hope it resonates.