Explore the Virgin Mary in art of this artwork, Assumption of the Virgin (El Greco).
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary does not appear in the New Testament, but appears in apocryphal literature of the 3rd and 4th centuries, and by 1000 was widely believed in the Western Church, though not made formal Catholic dogma until 1950. It first became a popular subject in Western Christian art in the 12th century, along with other narrative scenes from the Life of the Virgin, and the Coronation of the Virgin. These "Marian" subjects were especially promoted by the Cistercian Order and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153).Literary accounts with more detail, such as the presence of the Apostles, appeared in late medieval works such as the Golden Legend, and were followed by artists. By the end of the Middle Ages, large and crowded altarpieces gave the artist the opportunity to show his virtuosity in composition, coloring and figure poses. After the Reformation, it was used to assert the Catholic position, rejected by Protestants.
until 1950 Reformation Western Church Apostles Golden Legend New Testament Bernard of Clairvaux Cistercian Order Life of the Virgin apocryphal literature Coronation of the Virgin altarpiece