Hemelvaart van Maria met apostelen

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso rechtsonder, gestempeld: Lugt 11

Art Historical Context

Domenico Campagnola's *Hemelvaart van Maria met apostelen* (Ascension the Virgin Mary with the Apostles), created in 1517, is a striking engraving measuring 288 × 196 mm. This Renaissance artist, a pupil of Titian and Giorgione, masterfully captures a pivotal biblical scene: the Virgin Mary's ascent to heaven, surrounded by the in awe below. Campagnola's intricate line work and tonal shading evoke the dramatic spirituality of early 16th-century Venice, blending classical harmony with emotional depth characteristic of the High Renaissance. Engravings like this one were revolutionary, allowing detailed designs to be reproduced and distributed widely across Europe—far beyond the reach of paintings. Campagnola often reproduced compositions by his mentors, making religious iconography accessible to devout collectors and the emerging print market. This technique highlights his skill in chiaroscuro effects, using fine cross-hatching to convey light, volume, and divine radiance. Adding to its allure, the print bears a collector's mark on the verso (Lugt 11), stamped lower right—a testament to its esteemed provenance among art enthusiasts. Likely from an early 20th-century connoisseur, it underscores the artwork's enduring cultural value as both devotional image and technical marvel.

About the Artist

Domenico Campagnola · 1500–1564

Domenico Campagnola (c. 1500–1564), a Venetian Renaissance painter, engraver, and pioneering draftsman, was born around 1500, likely in Venice to German parents, and became a child prodigy under the tutelage of his adoptive father, Giulio Campagnola. Apprenticed to Giulio around 1507 in Venice, he mastered painting, drawing, engraving, and woodcutting from the esteemed Paduan engraver, whose stipp...