Domenico Theotokópoulos, called El Greco
Spanish, 1541­1614
The Assumption of the Virgin
1577
Oil on canvas
401.4 x 228.7 cm
Gift of Nancy Atwood Sprague in memory of Albert Arnold Sprague, 1906.99

One of the most famous paintings at the Art Institute, The Assumption of the Virgin by El Greco, was the center of a huge altarpiece and the focus of worship in a church in Toledo, Spain. The Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, rises from her tomb, ascending into heaven. The painting is divided into two halves, representing heaven and earth. The Virgin is surrounded by welcoming angels. Below, the earth-bound apostles gather around the tomb. Their faces and gestures express emotions ranging from confusion and disbelief to excitement and awe. Like a pointer, the lid of the coffin directs our eyes to the ascending Virgin.