Death of the Virgin, known also as the
Dormition of the Virgin, is considered a masterpiece of the early
Renaissance. Mantegna was already a
mature artist when he undertook this work, and his expert use of perspective
dominates the composition of the painting. The eye is led from the geometrical
floor to the assembly, and finally beyond to a landscape of the burgh of the
Castello di San Giorgio and the surrounding lake in Mantua.
Lying on her deathbed clad in dark colors, the Virgin herself
is humble to the end. She does not demand attention, and Mantegna frames her
carefully with the green robes of the angel and the apostle. The scene is
simple and solemn – the last rites performed, the apostles on the right
accompanying them with a hymn. The detailed columns soar heavenward, symbolic
of the Virgin’s final destination in this life.
