The Assumption of the Virgin

Art Historical Context

Bernardo Daddi, a Florentine painter of the early 14th century, created *The Assumption of the Virgin around 1337–. This grand tempera panel depicts the biblical moment when the Virgin Mary is lifted into heaven by angels, a triumphant scene central to Christian devotion. Daddi, influenced by Giotto's naturalism yet rooted in Gothic elegance, fills the composition with graceful figures, swirling draperies, and a host of adoring angels, capturing the era's spiritual fervor amid Italy's burgeoning Renaissance. Painted in tempera on wood with a shimmering gold ground—a hallmark of Sienese-Florentine altarpieces—the work's luminous surface evokes divine glory. The gold leaf, meticulously punched and tooled, creates a heavenly radiance that draws viewers into the sacred narrative. At over 4 feet tall, its scale suggests it once adorned a church altar, serving as a focal point for worship. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Robert Lehman Collection, this masterpiece highlights Daddi's mastery in blending narrative drama with refined detail, offering a window into 14th-century Tuscan piety and artistic innovation. Visitors will appreciate its ethereal beauty and the enduring mystery of Mary's ascent.

About the Artist

Bernardo Daddi · 1250–1360

Comment on works: religious