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| The Ascension Page from a Lectionary French, c.1100 Paris, Musée de Cluny, Musée national du Moyen Age |
"When they had gathered together they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."
From the beginning of the sixteenth century, this motif began to assume the form that it would display for the next several hundred years. During these centuries this became the most common iconographic form for artists when painting the subject of the Ascension of Christ.
By the last decades of the nineteenth century artists had largely abandoned the cloud motif in favor of alternatives. It has not been entirely abandoned, however, as a painting from 1963 by the English artist, Peter Rogers, demonstrates. However, in keeping with the prevalent fears of 1963, the formerly benign fluffy cloud has become the menacing mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb, which seems to suck the figure of Jesus into the sky.
For the other iconographic motifs of the Ascension see:
© M. Duffy, 2011, revised 2017, additional material added 2022.
Acts 1:6-11 (Excerpt from the first reading for the feast of the Ascension of the Lord
It also appears in early Christian funereal art, such as the beautiful "Sarcophagus of the Two Brothers" in the Vatican Museums, where the relief busts of the two brothers are framed in a shell-like mandorla at the center of a series of scenes from the Bible, and especially from the life of Christ.
We have already seen the early motif for the Ascension, in which Jesus strides up the mountain and into heaven (access here). Now we will look at two other motifs, one of which became to predominant image of the Ascension, up to our own day.
Jesus Being Lifted in a Mandorla
This motif derives from Roman images of the apotheosis of the deceased being transported to heaven by flying geniuses or on the wings of eagles. Two well-known examples are a first century cameo of Caesar Claudius Germanicus and the monument containing the relief of the Apotheosis of Antoninus Pius and Faustina from about 161 AD. |
Apotheosis of Caesar Claudium Germanicus
Roman, 1st century AD
Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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Apotheosis of Antoninus Pius and Faustina
Roman, c. 161 AD
Vatican City, Vatican Museums |
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| Sarcophagus of the Two Brothers Roman, c. 325-350 Vatican, Pio-Cristiano Museum |
It appears in Christian painting as early as the 6th century in Byzantine Syria. Here the geniuses of the pagan images have been transformed into Christian angels.
Some artists who chose to place the figure of Jesus in a mandorla also continued to show Him making the gestures that are most properly associated with the motif of Striding into Heaven. Possibly they were relying on pattern books that showed the figure of Jesus, copied from the earlier images of striding, but not the surroundings that made the gestures understandable in context. For them, His gestures might simply have been what He was supposed to do when ascending. This confusion existed over multiple manuscripts and over a wide sweep of territory, from Austria to Normandy in the 10th and 11th centuries.
However, from the 11th century onward when artists used the mandorla to surround the ascending Jesus, they placed Him in the classical, straightforward facing manner. The mandorla itself could be the classic almond shape, or a smooth oval or a circle, or in at least one case, a rectangle.
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| Wooden Reliquary Painted with Scenes from the Life of Christ Syrian, 6th Century Vatican, Vatican Museums, Chapel of St. Peter Martyr |
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| The Ascension From the Rabbula Gospels Syrian, c. 586 Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana MS cod. Plut. I, 56, fol. 13v |
From these beginnings this motif had a long history in Western Christian art, as well as in the art of Byzantium.
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| Fresco of the Ascension Italian, c. 847-855 Rome, Church of San Clemente, Lower Church |
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The Ascension
From the Poussay Gospels
German (Reichenau), c. 980
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France,
MS Latin 10514, 66v
|
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| Ivory Panel of the Ascension Byzantine (Constantinople), c. 1000-1050 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Ivory Plaque of the Ascension From a Triptych French, 11th Century Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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|
Some artists who chose to place the figure of Jesus in a mandorla also continued to show Him making the gestures that are most properly associated with the motif of Striding into Heaven. Possibly they were relying on pattern books that showed the figure of Jesus, copied from the earlier images of striding, but not the surroundings that made the gestures understandable in context. For them, His gestures might simply have been what He was supposed to do when ascending. This confusion existed over multiple manuscripts and over a wide sweep of territory, from Austria to Normandy in the 10th and 11th centuries.
,%20c.%20986-1001_Paris,%20Bibliotheque%20nationale%20de%20France_MS%20Latin%209448,%20fol.%2045v.jpeg) |
| The Ascension From the Gradual of St. Salvatoris German (Prüm), c. 986-1001 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9448, fol. 45v |
 |
The Ascension
From the Mont-Saint-Michel Sacramantary
French (Mont-Saint-Michel), c. 1050-1065
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 641, fol. 75v
|
,%201045-1055_New%20York,%20Pierpont%20Morgan%20Library_MS%20G44,%20fol.%20100v.jpg) |
| The Ascension From a Gospel Lectionary Austrian (Salzburg), 1045-1055 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS G 44, fol. 100v |
However, from the 11th century onward when artists used the mandorla to surround the ascending Jesus, they placed Him in the classical, straightforward facing manner. The mandorla itself could be the classic almond shape, or a smooth oval or a circle, or in at least one case, a rectangle.
 |
The Ascension
From a Gospel Lectionary
Austrian (Salzburg), c. 1060-1080
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 780, fol. 48r
|
,%201100-1150_Paris,%20Bibliotheque%20nationale%20de%20France_MS%20Grec%201208,%203v%20-%20Copy.jpeg) |
| The Ascension From Orationes encomiasticae by Jacobus Kokkinobaphi Byzantine (Constantinople), c. 1100-1150 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Grec 1208, 3v |
,%201100-1130_Paris,%20Bibliotheque%20nationale%20de%20France_MS%20Latin%2017325,%2039v.jpeg) |
| The Ascension From a Gospel Book German (Prüm), c. 1100-1130 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 17325, 39v |
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| Portal of the Ascension French, 1145 Chartres, Cathedral, West facade, Left Portal |
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| Tympanum Detail, Portal of the Ascension French, 1145 Chartres, Cathedral, West facade, Left Portal |
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| The Ascension From a Psalter German or Swiss, c. 1208-1228 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS G 8, fol. 11v |
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| Workshop of Pacino di Bonaguida, The Ascension From the Life of Christ and the Life of Blessed Gerard of Villamagna Italian (Florence), c. 1315-1325 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 643, fol. 17r |
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| Andrea da Firenze, The Ascension Italian, c. 1366-1367 Florence, Santa Maria Novella, Spanish Chapel
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,%201490-1520+New%20%20York,%20Pierpont%20Morgan%20Library_MS%20M495,%20fol.%2052ra.jpg)
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| Pietro Perugino, The Ascension Italian, c. 1510 Sansepolcro, Cathedral |
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| Pieter Coecke van Aelst, The Ascension Tapestry Flemish, c. 1520-1528 Dresden, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister |
Jesus being lifted on a cloud
This also has some affinity with the same classical sources as does the mandorla type. It developed over the centuries, beginning with the image of Christ standing on a cloud as He ascends, found in a series of books illuminated with a virtually identical image at the Imperial scriptorium in the monastery of Reichenau at the beginning of the 11th century. |
| The Ascension From the Book of Pericopes of Heinrich II German (Reichenau), c. 1007-1012 Munich, Bayerisches StaatsBibliothek MS Clm 4452, fol. 131v |
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| The Ascension From the Bamberg Apocalypse German (Reichenau), 1010 Bamberg, Staatsbibliothek Bamberg MS Msc. Bibl. 140, fol. 71v |
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| The Ascension From the Treves Sacramentary German (Reichenau), c. 1020-1040 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 18005, fol. 89v |
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| Giovanni di Benedetto & Workshop, The Ascension From a Missal and Book of Hours Italian, c. 1385-1390 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 757, fol. 331v |
Many images combine elements of the previously developed motifs as well, including elements from the scene of Jesus striding to heaven with mandorla-like elements in the cloud formations.
,%201050-1075_Paris,%20Bibliotheque%20nationale%20de%20France_MS%20Latin%2010438,%20fol.%20138.jpg) |
| The Ascension From a Bible Luxembourg (Echternach), c. 1050-1075 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 10438, fol. 138 |
,%201392-1399_New%20York,%20Pierpont%20Morgan%20Library_MS%20M653,%20fol.%203ra.jpg) |
| Silvestro dei Gerarducci, The Ascension Page from a Gradual Italian (Florence), c. 1392-1399 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 653, fol. 3r |
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| Lorenzo Monaco, The Ascension From an Antiphonary Italian, c. 1410 Private Collection |
Sometimes the clouds retained something of the form of the older mandorla image.
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| Master of Jacquemart Pilavaine, The Ascension From Postilla litteralis by Nicolas of Lyra The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 128 C 8, fol. 21r
Here Christ is carried on a cloud toward God the Father, seated in a mandorla and indicating the
seat at His right hand that is reserved for the Son. |
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| Johann Koerbecke, The Ascension German, 1456-1457 Washington, National Gallery of Art
In this image Christ rises in a mandorla shaped cloud formation accompanied by similar formations that carry the
prophets, including John the Baptist, instead of the usual angels.
|
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| Andrea Mantegna, The Ascension Italian, 1460-1464 Florence, Galleria degli'Uffizi |
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| Andrea della Robbia, The Ascension Italian, c. 1490 La Verna, Chiesa Maggiore |
From the beginning of the sixteenth century, this motif began to assume the form that it would display for the next several hundred years. During these centuries this became the most common iconographic form for artists when painting the subject of the Ascension of Christ.
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| Anonymous, The Ascension Italian, c. 1550 Vienna, Künsthistorisches Museum |
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| Paolo Veronese, The Ascension Italian, 1575 Padua, San Francesco Grande |
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| Jacopo Tintoretto, The Ascension Italian, 1579-1581 Venice, Scuolo Grande di San Rocco |
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| Paolo Veronese, The Ascension Italian, c. 1585 Rome, Capitoline Museum |
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| Rembrandt van Rijn, The Ascension Dutch, 1636 Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek |
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| Attributed to Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, The Ascension Italian, c. 1640 Bordeaux, Musée des Beaux-Arts |
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| David Teniers the Younger, The Ascension Dutch, c.1650 Neuburg-Donau, Staatsgalerie |
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| Philips Wouwerman, The Ascension Dutch, 1650-1655 Braunschweig, Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum |
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| David Teniers the Younger, The Ascension Dutch, c. 1651-1656 London, The Wallace Collection |
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| Pierre Berchet. The Ascension French, 1693-1694 Oxford, Trinity College, University of Oxford |
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| Francois Verdier, The Ascension French, c. 1700 Vienna, Künsthistorisches Museum |
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| Adriaen van der Werff, The Ascension Dutch, 1710 Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek |
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| James Thornhill, The Ascension English, 1720s Dorchester (UK), Dorset County Museum |
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| Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, The Ascension Italian, c. 1745-1750 Richmond (VA), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts |
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| William Hogarth, The Ascension Center of Altarpiece of St. Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol (UK) English, 1755-1756 Bristol (UK), Museum and Art Gallery |
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| John Singleton Copley, The Ascension American, 1775 Boston, Museum of Fine Arts |
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| Anton Raphael Mengs, The Ascension German, c. 1770 Dresden, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister |
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| Benjamin West, The Ascension American, 1801 Denver (CO), Denver Museum, Berger Collection |
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| John Constable, The Ascension English, 1821-1822 Colchester (UK), St. Mary's Church |
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| Eduard von Gebhardt, The Ascension German, 1881 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin |
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| Peter W. Rogers, The Ascension English, 1963 Oxford, Oxford Brookes University |
By the last decades of the nineteenth century artists had largely abandoned the cloud motif in favor of alternatives. It has not been entirely abandoned, however, as a painting from 1963 by the English artist, Peter Rogers, demonstrates. However, in keeping with the prevalent fears of 1963, the formerly benign fluffy cloud has become the menacing mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb, which seems to suck the figure of Jesus into the sky.
For the other iconographic motifs of the Ascension see:
© M. Duffy, 2011, revised 2017, additional material added 2022.
Excerpts from the Lectionary
for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second
typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights
reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without
permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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