Flemish school; XVI century.

Flemish school; XVI century.
"The Dormition of the Virgin".
Oil on oak panel.
Measurements: 98 x 74 cm; 129 x 106 cm (frame).
The Virgin, still awake, is in the center of the scene surrounded by the suffering apostles, with St. Peter and St. John next to her. The scene is posed by the artist in a theatrical manner, using the canopy of the bed as a trompe l'oeil. The Dormition of the Virgin was a central theme in the Flemish school of painting of the 16th century because of its spiritual and emotional charge, which resonated deeply with the religious sensibility of the time. Flemish artists, masters of detailed and symbolic representation, used this subject to explore the connection between the human and the divine, portraying Mary's transition to heaven with a unique balance between realism and mysticism. Through the use of vibrant colors, meticulous textures, and dramatically charged compositions, they succeeded in conveying both the solemnity of the moment and the hope in the resurrection. In addition, the Dormition allowed these artists to develop narrative scenes rich in character and detail, consolidating their prestige in the creation of profoundly theological and artistically innovative works.
The Flemish school was characterized by the great influence of the Flemish primitives, which survived for a long time, largely due to the political and cultural ties between the two countries. Flemish painting was, in the 15th century, the most advanced in Europe, and influenced all national schools, including Italian. It was considered an art of enormous refinement, with works executed and treated as jewels. This consideration was also due to the very rich materials used in its execution, as well as the assemblies of the tables, which, as we see here, were of great richness. The features of the Flemish school are close to those of Flemish painting, starting with the maximum concern of the painters of Flanders, the search for reality above all else. In connection with this desire, enormous attention is paid to the qualities of the objects, as well as to the smallest details, often endowed with a symbolic charge. The iconography continues to be mainly religious, and in the scenes a correct and precise, very meticulous drawing will predominate. In the same way, they try to capture the truest possible illumination, whether artificial or natural, always modeling the flesh tones and producing chiaroscuro to a greater or lesser degree.