The Assumption of the Virgin c. 1658 - 1660

Curator: Juan de Valdés Leal offers us a glimpse into the heavens with his oil painting, "The Assumption of the Virgin," created sometime between 1658 and 1660. Editor: My goodness, it practically explodes with divine light, doesn’t it? There's this dramatic upward sweep of figures, from the earthly realm to the celestial— it’s classic Baroque energy! Curator: Indeed. You can see how Valdés Leal uses that very theatricality of the Baroque style. But beyond just drama, this painting acts as a response to the historical circumstances in which it was produced, like the religious and political conflicts swirling around Europe at the time. Editor: So the up-turned faces of the earthly witnesses…the Virgin floating heavenward, cradled by angels— are all very intentionally creating an argument in favor of religious certainty in that historical context. Tell me more! Curator: Exactly. In the painting, the figures are arranged within a distinct visual hierarchy—Mary is placed centrally at the peak, an apex. Those on the ground, the apostles, reach out towards heaven from below. That positioning emphasizes her importance. Editor: I wonder, though, if some people find the spectacle a little… much? Does it overwhelm the actual message, which I suppose is about grace and devotion? Or is that the point? Curator: I see what you mean! Well, remember Valdés Leal had a penchant for dramatic depictions of death and religious ecstasy—his paintings were aimed at eliciting very specific responses from the viewer! By playing up this emotion, Valdés Leal reinforces an orthodoxy being challenged at that time. Editor: It makes you wonder, what stories, what certainties will later generations cling to so fiercely they paint them on the sky for everyone to see? Curator: I like that thought…perhaps even now they are already appearing on our horizons in a style none of us would recognize. Editor: One can only imagine.