Death of Virgin (Tod der Gottesmutter Maria)

myminifactory

This painting shows Virgin lying on the bed with the apostles gathered around her, visibly moved by her passing. The Death of the Virgin Mary is a recurring theme in Western Christian art, equivalent to the Dormition of the Theotokos in Eastern Orthodox art. As the doctrine of the Assumption gained traction in the Roman Catholic Church during the Late Middle Ages, this depiction gradually fell out of favor. However, even as that doctrine avoids specifying whether Mary was alive or deceased when she ascended bodily into Heaven, she is typically portrayed in art as being very much alive. The Bible remains silent on the subject of Mary's final days, yet a long-standing tradition dating back to at least the 5th century claims that the twelve Apostles were miraculously summoned from their distant missionary endeavors to be present at her passing.