Death of the Virgin (Dormition)

The death of the Virgin Mary forms a cycle of scenes that are widely depicted in Christian art, particularly in churches dedicated to her. The scene of the death itself is sometimes joined to that of the Assumption. Early apocryphal literature contains several versions of the story, some of them probably dating from the 4th century. The Golden Legend, which appeared in the 13th century, at a time when popular devotion to the Virgin was intense, gives an extended account based on the apocryphal works. The subject was frequently represented from this period.

The annunciation of the Virgin's death. In old age the Virgin, who longed to be with her son again, was visited by an angel who foretold her death in three days time. It presented her with a branch of the "Palm of Paradise" which was to be borne before her bier. She prayed to be allowed to see the apostles and her kin before she died. The scene sometimes resembles the annunciation of Christ's Incarnation except for the palm in the angel's hand, instead of a lily or sceptre. More rarely it holds a taper or candle. It was traditionally identified with the archangel Michael, the harbinger of death, but is not necessarily so portrayed.
The communion of the Virgin. The Virgin's last Communion which she is seen receiving from the hands of John the Evangelist or from Christ, was a theme favored by the Church of the Counter-Reformation in fostering devotion to the Seven Sacraments. Parallel themes are the Last Communion of Jerome, Francis of Assisi and Mary Magdalen.
The death of the Virgin. The most widely depicted of the series. According to one tradition she was not dead but only sleeping during the three days until her resurrection, hence "Dormition." The Golden Legend tells how the angel caused the apostles, who were scattered over the world, each to be caught up in a cloud and borne to the Virgin's door. (They are occasionally depicted thus.) "And about the third hour of the night Jesus Christ came with sweet melody and song, with the orders of angels," and with the patriarchs, martyrs, confessors and virgins. "And thus in the morning the soul issued out of the body and fled up in the arms of her son." The scene shows the Virgin's body on a couch, or bier, or, especially in northern Renaissance art, on a canopied bed in a typical domestic interior. She may be still living and holding a lighted candle, in accordance with an old custom of putting a candle in the hands of a dying person, its light a symbol of the Christian faith. The apostles stand round. St John holds the palm, handed to him by the Virgin, or is perhaps weeping or kneeling by the bed. St Andrew may be swinging a censer. St Peter, sometimes dressed in bishop's robes, holds a book and conducts the service. The figure of Christ, who is seen only in earlier works up to about the 15th century, stands behind the bed holding in his arms a tiny effigy which is the Virgin's soul; or he appears with angels in an aureole or mandorla above. Two mourning women represent widows, friends of the Virgin, to whom she bequeathed her robes. The Counter-Reformation taught that the Virgin died without pain, death taking her unawares; she is therefore sometimes depicted in 17th century art not on a bed but on a chair or throne, her head fallen back, surrounded by the apostles.
The bearing of the Virgin's body to the tomb. The body was carried by the apostles, St John going before and bearing the Palm of Paradise as a talisman. A high priest of the Jews tried to overturn the bier. "Then suddenly both his hands waxed dry and cleaved to the bier, so that he hung by the hands on the bier, and was sore tormented and wept and brayed." Some versions show the angel cutting off the high priest's hands, or a number of Jews being blinded by angels. All are rare outside early Renaissance art.
The entombment. A somewhat rare subject. The body of the Virgin lies on a sheet or pall which is being lowered by the apostles or by angels into a sarcophagus. Christ may be seen above in a mandorla.