Description

In the scene of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Christ and his mother float on a cloud surrounded by a host of playing and singing angels. Both figures are of the same size, proving that Jesus is taking not only his soul but also Mary's body to heaven. At the same time, the representation alludes to the Song of Songs, in which the mystical union between God and the Church is foreshadowed under the figures of the Bridegroom and the Bride. Wit Stwosz reduced the scale of the figures of Christ and Mary in comparison with those of the apostles, thereby creating the suggestion of remoteness in the heavenly skies. In the canopy above the scene of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there are four tiny figures of knights and lackeys. It is worth noting the perfect rendering in wood of the details of the knights' armour from the end of the 15th century. The masterfully executed, small-sized, full-figure figures of the prophets are depicted in full-motion, almost dance-like poses.