The Dormition of the Virgin

Localisation : The Giotto Room
Année de création :Circa 1335
Artiste :Maso di Banco

Description

This work gave its name to the room in which it is exhibited: purchased by the Duke of Aumale in 1879, at the time it was attributed to the illustrious Florentine painter, architect and sculptor Giotto. It was subsequently attributed to one of his most loyal pupils, Maso di Banco. Gathered around the Virgin, the apostles are united around her remains, while her son Jesus Christ receives her soul, symbolised in the features of a child. The influence of his master can be seen in Maso’s sober, almost austere setting, the suggestion of depth, the presence of characters with graceful silhouettes, solidly rooted in the composition, which give particular power to the narration of the religious episode. However, he can be distinguished from Giotto by the purest evocation of shading in light colours, making him a discreetly elegant painter. According to a recent study, this panel was part of a triptych intended for the Prato Cathedral, two fragments of which are today held in Berlin and Budapest.