Pacino da Bonaguida, The Dormition of the Virgin

Detail from the left side of a diptych in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

As specified in the Golden Legend, the apostles at either end of the bier respectfully lift the Virgin by her winding-sheet to avoid touching her body. Meanwhile, Christ takes her soul in his arms.

The liturgical aspect of the event is signified by the figure at the far left with a stole and ritual book (probably St. Peter), and by the overall solemnity of the treatment, which is relieved a bit by the hand-wringing of the apostle at Mary's feet (John the Evangelist?).

Read more about the Dormition.

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• Iconography of the Dormition
• This Picture

Photographed at the museum by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.