The Assumption of the Virgin, below the apostles surround the tomb
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 10 1/4 x 8 1/4 in. (26 x 21 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.97.315
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Assumption of the Virgin below the apostles surround the tomb*, a captivating engraving from 1530–60, to either the Master of the Die orino del Vaga (Pietro Buonaccorsi), a prominent Italian Mannerist artist who trained under Raphael. This 10¼ × 8¼-inch sheet captures a pivotal moment in Christian iconography: the Virgin Mary's bodily ascent to heaven, surrounded by adoring angels above, while below, the apostles gather reverently around her empty tomb The intricate composition blends dynamic movement with spiritual elevation, hallmarks of Mannerist style, which favored elegance an...
About the Artist
Master of the Die|Perino del Vaga (Pietro Buonaccorsi) · 1525–1560
**Master of the Die** (fl. 1525–1560) was an anonymous Italian engraver and printmaker active primarily in Rome during the mid-16th century. Named for the distinctive small die he used to sign his prints—a tiny emblematic mark that became his moniker—this elusive artist remains unidentified despite scholarly proposals linking him to figures like Benedetto Verino, Giovanni Francesco Zabello, Tommas...