The Assumption of the Virgin

After the Virgin’s death, her body was taken up into heaven. The Apostles gathered around her tomb find only flowers within. Some stare in amazement or are lost in grief; others, understanding the miracle, look heavenward to see the Virgin in glory. To relieve Thomas’ doubts, the Virgin offers physical proof, giving him her sash, a famous relic. At bottom is a picture within a picture: a Crucifixion, a reference to the Mass celebrated at the altar below this painting, which was commissioned for the Spini family chapel in Santa Trinita, Florence.