The Assumption of the Virgin 1650 - 1710

Editor: Here we have "The Assumption of the Virgin," a drawing made with pen, pencil, and ink by Michel Corneille the Younger, sometime between 1650 and 1710. The upward movement is striking; all figures look towards the light. What strikes you most when you look at this piece? Curator: Immediately, I think about the historical context that shaped depictions of the Virgin Mary. In Baroque art, like this piece, we see a real emphasis on dramatic movement and emotion, used here to amplify a message of divine intervention and power. But think about what this "assumption" really implies within a social context. Whose narratives are privileged? How might marginalized groups interpret this ascent to power? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered the power dynamics. It seems almost… exclusive? Curator: Exactly. The artwork also shows how the celestial realm reinforces a hierarchical system. The angels literally lift the Virgin Mary up, while the earthly figures below can only look on. And, what about the absence of female voices at the bottom? Could we view their silence as a symbolic representation of the constraints imposed upon women? Editor: I see what you mean. The male figures below are observers, rendered almost powerless, but their placement emphasizes their lack of participation in this ascent. The drawing seems to emphasize not only the Virgin Mary’s triumph, but the social structure which is implied by the celestial hierarchy itself. Curator: Precisely! Considering these social dimensions helps us engage in a deeper, more critical dialogue with the artwork. It allows us to recognize that even within religious iconography, we see reflections of the social power structures inherent in seventeenth-century Europe. Editor: I’ll definitely think about Baroque art differently from now on. Thanks so much. Curator: My pleasure! Keep questioning, keep looking.