Study for the Assumption of the Madonna 1876

Noè Bordignon made this study for the Assumption of the Madonna in the 19th century, using pen and brown ink with pencil on paper. Bordignon was an Italian painter, who trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, which, like many art institutions of the time, had a hierarchical structure that emphasized the importance of history painting and religious subjects. This piece reflects the conventions of religious art in 19th-century Italy, a time when the Catholic Church still had a strong influence on artistic production and consumption. We see the Virgin Mary ascending to heaven, surrounded by angels, as the apostles gesture in awe. The drawing’s sketch-like quality gives us a glimpse into the artist’s creative process. Bordignon would have used preparatory studies like this to work out the composition, poses, and drapery before beginning the final painting. To fully understand the artistic choices made here, a historian might look at the artist's relationship with the Academy, and with the prevailing religious beliefs of the time. Art like this reflects and reinforces the values of the society in which it was made.