The Assumption of the Virgin

Bernardo Daddi painted this Assumption of the Virgin around 1338, depicting Mary's bodily assumption into heaven, a subject of enormous theological importance that would not be formally defined as dogma until 1950 but was universally celebrated in medieval devotion. Daddi, the leading Florentine painter after Giotto's death in 1337, brought a lyrical sweetness to this triumphal subject that distinguished his interpretation from Giotto's more austere approach. The work reflects Daddi's position as the bridge between Giottesque monumentality and the courtly International Gothic style.

Tempera and gold on panel, with the ascending Virgin surrounded by angels in a luminous celestial composition. Daddi's characteristic gentle modeling, warm palette of soft reds and blues, and refined gold tooling create an effect of serene, uplifting beauty.