ticketsMember | Make a donation

Scenes from the Life of the Virgin

ca. 1490–1510
Not on view
Wearing a red-and-gold brocaded dress and carried along by six angels, Mary ascends into heaven at the center of this five-part composition. Other episodes from her life unfold around this principal scene. Beginning in the upper left corner is the Presentation of the young Mary in the Temple, followed by the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth in the upper right corner. The Annunciation at left and the Adoration of the Magi at right dominate the lower field, their figures boasting exuberant costumes. The arrangement of the scenes in this tapestry gives preference to the most important episodes in Mary’s life rather than following a strict chronology. The tapestry’s relatively small size suggests that it was designed to hang alone behind an altar.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Scenes from the Life of the Virgin
  • Date: ca. 1490–1510
  • Culture: South Netherlandish
  • Medium: Wool warp, wool, silk, and metallic wefts
  • Dimensions: 86 3/4 × 82 in. (220.3 × 208.3 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Tapestries
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
  • Object Number: 14.40.707
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Courtiers in a Rose Garden: A Lady and Two Gentlemen, Wool warp; wool, silk, metallic weft yarns, South Netherlandish
Courtiers in a Rose Garden: A Lady and Two Gentlemen
South Netherlandish
ca. 1440–50
Tapestry with the Annunciation, Wool warp, wool with a few metallic wefts, South Netherlandish
Tapestry with the Annunciation
South Netherlandish
ca. 1410–20
Hunting of Birds with a Hawk and a Bow (from the Hunting Parks Tapestries), Wool and silk thread, South Netherlandish
Hunting of Birds with a Hawk and a Bow (from the Hunting Parks Tapestries)
South Netherlandish
ca. 1515–35
Woodcutters Working at a Deer Park (from the Hunting Parks Tapestries), Wool and silk thread, South Netherlandish
Woodcutters Working at a Deer Park (from the Hunting Parks Tapestries)
South Netherlandish
ca. 1515–35
Hunting for Wild Boar (from the Hunting Parks Tapestries), Wool, and silk thread, South Netherlandish
Hunting for Wild Boar (from the Hunting Parks Tapestries)
South Netherlandish
ca. 1515–35

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.