Death of the Virgin (Mantegna)
Encyclopedia
The Death of the Virgin is a painting by the Italian
Renaissance
painter Andrea Mantegna
, from c. 1462-1464.
In this picture Mantegna depicts the last moment of Mary's life within a space defined by classical architectures, with a squared pavement which leads the observer's eyes towards the bed on which the Virgin lies. In the background is a lake scene which is a detailed reproduction of the bridge and the burgh of the Castle of St. George in Mantua
. The work was in fact originally part of the decoration of the Castle chapel, together with three panels now in the Uffizi
of Florence
: the Adoration of the Magi
, The Ascension and The Circumcision.
The unfinished appearance of the pilasters in the upper part of the picture suggests that it was once larger than it appears today. The fragment of Christ with the Virgin's Soul, now in Ferrara
, was in fact most likely part of the original composition.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
painter Andrea Mantegna
Andrea Mantegna
Andrea Mantegna was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archeology, and son in law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g., by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality...
, from c. 1462-1464.
In this picture Mantegna depicts the last moment of Mary's life within a space defined by classical architectures, with a squared pavement which leads the observer's eyes towards the bed on which the Virgin lies. In the background is a lake scene which is a detailed reproduction of the bridge and the burgh of the Castle of St. George in Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
. The work was in fact originally part of the decoration of the Castle chapel, together with three panels now in the Uffizi
Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery , is a museum in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world.-History:...
of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
: the Adoration of the Magi
Adoration of the Magi (Mantegna)
The Adoration of the Magi is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna, from 1462.Together with The Ascension and The Circumcision, it forms a triptych created in 1827 at the Uffizi, where the picture can still be seen...
, The Ascension and The Circumcision.
The unfinished appearance of the pilasters in the upper part of the picture suggests that it was once larger than it appears today. The fragment of Christ with the Virgin's Soul, now in Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, was in fact most likely part of the original composition.