The Ascension

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The Ascension, a Renaissance painting at the Art Institute of Chicago, dates from the late fifteen century, from about 1490 to 1500 A.C. The name of the author is still a mystery; however, the provenance of the painting is known to be from Picardy, a city on the northern region of France.

During the Renaissance period, many ideas and ideals changed most of the artistic taste of writers, sculptors, painters, and philosophers. The Ascension is not the exception. As most of the artistic expression of the Renaissance, this painting suggests a religious theme. The Ascension is the depiction of the biblical passages on the Gospels of Mark and Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles which tells how Jesus was taken up to heaven in the presence of his eleven remaining disciples—Judas Iscariot was no longer a disciple of Jesus--and others who followed him closely. In the painting, one can appreciate the amount of detail put by the author to sort of explain what happened, how it happened and who were there. First, the painter painted the scene with Jesus and his disciples outside in the field—which is mostly referred to be the Mount of Olives. Also, the author carefully portrayed faces of men and women, letting people know of the presence of Mary Magdalene and other women that played important roles in the message of Jesus while on earth. It is imperative to denote the relationship between time and space the author makes by painting on the horizon what seem to be buildings of the Gothic period, intending to create an atmosphere similar to that of France. Furthermore, the author painted the glory of Jesus accompanied with stylized, golden corners, which is a feature a bit unusual in Renaissance paintings.

Looking at The Ascension from its contextual perspective and from its artistic elements, the painting is full of moods and techniques. First, the event itself has an outstanding message of hope. The painter did a good job depicting the majesty of Jesus as he rose physically to heaven by painting a golden halo and purple clothing, which are symbols of holiness and wisdom. On the other hand, the elements used in this painting are the crucial features that vivify the message represented. As characteristic of Renaissance paintings, The Ascension contents triangular placement of figures; its lines follow a triangular pattern to the main figure—Jesus elevating over his disciples. Regarding the lines that outline the objects, they can be distinguished or seen—pigmentation are used instead—except for the traces of the glory that emanates from Jesus' halo.

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