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Filippo Lippi, Coronation of the Virgin
Italian, 1467-1469
Spoleto, Cathedral
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There is clearly a close relationship between the Assumption of Mary and her Queenship. It is, therefore, appropriate that the memorial of the Queenship of Mary, which was originally placed on May 31 by Pius XII, was moved by Pope Paul VI in 1969 to August 22, the octave of the Assumption, replacing the memorial of the Sacred Heart of Mary. 2
In the visual arts the image of Mary as Queen exists in two types: the Coronation of the Virgin and Mary as Queen of Heaven. The image of the Queen of Heaven is older than that of the Coronation (see below). However, although the Coronation is the newer theme chronologically, it is a logical development from the image of Mary as Queen of Heaven for, if Mary is a crowned queen, there must have been a moment of coronation, and so, precedes it in this discussion.
Coronation of the Virgin
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| Coronation of the Virgin Gothic, ca. 1250 Strasbourg, Cathedral |
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Giacomo Torriti, Coronation of the Virgin
Italian, Mosaic, 1296
Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore
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Crowning By Jesus
Early images concentrate on the figures of Mary and Christ. |
| Coronation of the Virgin From Miniatures of the Life of Christ French, c. 1170-1180 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 44, fol. 16r |
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| Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1230-1240 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 92, fol. 14r |
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| Coronation of the Virgin French, 1250-1260 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Coronation of the Virgin French (Paris), c. 1320 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Nardo di Cione. Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1340-1360 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Puccio di Simone, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1350 Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten |
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| Paolo and Giovanni Veneziano, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, 1358 New York, Frick Collection |
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| Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1360-1370 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Master of Saint Verdiana, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, Late 14th - Early 15th Century Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Alabaster Coronation of the Virgin English, 15th Century London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| Master of Morgan 78, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours Flemish (Tournai), c. 1450-1460 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 78, fol. 93v |
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| Giovanni di Paolo, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1455 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
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| Jean Colombe, Coronation of the Virgin From Hours of Jean Robertet French (Bourges), c. 1460-1475 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 834, fol. 76v |
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| Simon Marmion, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours Flemish, c. 1475-1485 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 6, fol. 57v |
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| Michael Pacher, Coronation of the Virgin German, c. 1479-1481 St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut (Austria), Parish Church |
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| Georges Trubert, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Avignon), c. 1480-1490 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 348, fol. 106r |
Crowning By the Holy Trinity
As time passed and meditation on the meaning of Mary's place in salvation history deepened, the other persons of the Holy Trinity began to appear in representations of her coronation as Queen of Heaven.Thus, from about the beginning of the fifteenth century, God the Father is sometimes shown as the crowner.
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| Coronation of the Virgin From the De Lisle Hours England (possibly York), c. 1316-1331 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS G 50, fol. 163r |
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| Associate of the Lucon Master, Coronation of the Virgin with God the Father From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1395-1405 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS S 9, fol. 91r |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by God the Father From a Book of Hours French (Tours), c. 1460-1470 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 161, fol. 72r |
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| Master of Jean Rolin II, Coronation of the Virgin by God the Father From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1460-1470 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1027, fol.115r |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by God the Father From a Book Of Hours French (Paris), c. 1490-1500 The Hague, Koninklijke Bibliotheek MS KB 76 F 14, fol. 52r |
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| Follower of Jean Poyer, Coronation of the Virgin by God the Father From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1515-1525 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 290, fol. 43v |
At other times both Father and Son crown her and, at still others, all three Persons may appear. When all three Persons appear the Holy Spirit may be represented as a third Person in human form or in the symbolic form of a white dove.
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| Coronation of the Virgin with Christ and God the Father Austrian, 15th Century-New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters Collection |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by God the Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit English, c. 1450-1500 London, Victoria and Albert Museum
Although the two figures flanking God the Father are described by the museum as "John the Baptist and Christ" I believe that they are actually Christ and the Holy Spirit. The figure identified by the museum as John the Baptist (left) is identified solely because of the cross shaped staff, which is sometimes associated with John. However, it is also an attribute of the Risen Christ. Especially in the absence of any other attribute of Saint John, a lamb for instance, and since the staff also includes a banner, which is always associated with the cross staff borne by the Risen Christ, I believe this figure to be Christ rather than John. Moreover, there are traces of red paint within the halo of this figure that match the traces of the red cross beams within the halos on the other two figures. The halo with inscribed red cross is a traditional attribute of Christ. This is further borne out by the fact that Christ is bare chested and wears a cope, not usually the attire of John, but very frequently worn by the Risen Christ. (See references to the Man of Sorrows image, below.) In addition, the right hand figure carries an orb, which frequently appears in painted images of the figure of the Holy Spirit in human form in manuscripts.
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| Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From a Book of Hours Italian (Venice), 1420-1455 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1089, fol. 89v |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From a Book of Hours French (Anjou), 1440 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 157, fol. 81v |
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| Follower of Master of Guillebert de Mets, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From a Book of Hours French, c. 1445-1455 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 287, fol. 81r |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by the Father and the Son From the Hours of Louis of Savoy French (Savoy), c. 1445-1460 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9473, fol. 64v |
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| Jean Fouquet, Coronation of Virgin by the Holy Trinity From the Hours of Etienne Chevalier French (Tours), c.1450 Chantilly, Musée Condé MS 71, fol. 87 |
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| Workshop of the Master of Edward IV, Coronation of the Virgin by God the Father and the Son From a Book of Hours Flemish (Ghent), c. 1480-1490 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 278, fol. 100v |
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| Master of Cornelis Croesinck, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From the Croesinck Hours Dutch, c. 1489-1499 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1078, fol. 117v |
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| Masters of the Dark Eyes, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trintiy From a Book of Hours Dutch, c. 1490 The Hague, Koniklijke Bibliotheek MS KB 76 G 16, fol. 124v |
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| Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From a Book of Hours Flemish (Liege), c. 1500 The Hague, Koninklijke Bibliotheek MS KB 133 D 11, fol. 61v |
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| Michael Sittow, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity Estonian, c.1500 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Simon Bening, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From the Da Costa Hours Flemish (Bruges), c. 1510-1520 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 399, fol. 176v |
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| Master H. L, Coronation of the Virgin German, 1525 Niederrotweil (Germany), Parish Church of Saint Michael |
Jesus Represented as the Man of Sorrows
Up to the beginning of the fifteenth century, Jesus had always been represented as a kingly figure, fully clothed and frequently wearing a crown. However, from the early fifteenth cnetury on the figure of Jesus may be represented in the form of the Man of Sorrows. This image, which was an extremely popular one in the later Middle Ages and Renaissance, depicts Jesus with a bare torso, showing the wounds of the Crucifixion and often wearing the crown of thorns and/or carrying a cross. This alludes to the salvific act which was made possible through Mary when she accepted the words of the Angel Gabriel and formed his human body. |
| Master of Rubielos de Mora, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity Spanish, Early 15th Century Cleveland, Museum of Art |
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| Antoine de Lonhy, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From a Book of Hours Italian (Piedmont), c. 1465-1475 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 57, fol. 74v |
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| Master of Morgan 366, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Tours), c. 1465-1475 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 366, fol. 74r |
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| Robert Boyvin, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Rouen), c. 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 261, fol. 57r |
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| Late Follower of the Master of the Rouen Echevinage, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Rouen), c. 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 151, fol. 44r |
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| Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Tours), c. 1505-1515 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 250, fol..62v |
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| Jean Pichore, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1505-1525 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 85, fol. 61v |
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| Giulio Clovio, Coronation of the Virgin From the Farnese Hours Italian, 1546 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 69, fol. 48v-49r |
Images Incorporating Mary's Death and Assumption
Sometimes the scene is shown in direct relationship to images of the Dormition and Assumption of Mary, as it is in the images below. Although the majority of these are found in manuscript illumination, it is also used infrequently by painters on panel and canvas. |
| The Death, Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin From a Psalter French (North), c. 1210 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 238, fol. 62v |
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Burial and Coronation of the Virgin
From the Psalter of St. Louis and Blanche of Castille
French, c.1225
Paris, Bibliotheqe nationale de France
MS Arsenal 1186, fol. 29v
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| Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary From Psalter-Hours of Ghuiluys de Boisleux French (Arras), c. 1246-1260 New York, Pierpont Motgan Library MS M 730, fol. 16v |
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| Life of the Virgin Mary Leaves from the Ramsey Psalter English (Ramsey Abbey), c. 1295-1310 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 302, fol. 4r |
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| Ivory Diptych with the Death and Coronation of the Virgin French, c. 1330-1350 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Master of the Jean de Sy Bible, Death and Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1370-1380 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 90, fol. 45r |
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| Death and Coronation of the Virgin From Psalter-Hours French (Metz), c. 1370-1380 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 88, fol. 19v |
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| Master of the Parement de Narbonne, Death and Corornation of the Virgin From the Tres Belles Heures of Jean, Duc de Berry French_c.1380 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 3093, fol. 76 |
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| Robinet Testard, Death and Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Poitiers), c. 1470-1480 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1001, fol. 62r |
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| Workshop of the Master of the Rouen Echevinage, Death, Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Rouen), c. 1475-1485 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 131, fol. 63r |
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| Annunciation of the Death of the Virgin, Death of the Virgin, Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 5, fol. 74v |
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| Raphael, The Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin Italian, 1502-1503 Vatican City, Pinacoteca Vaticana |
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| _Master of Claude de France, The Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin From the Prayer Book of Claude de France French (Tours), c. 1515-1520 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 1166, fol. 23v-24r |
Cosmic Images
Some representations present the event on a more cosmic scale so that it is seen against the entire panoply of heaven, before crowds of angels and saints. |
| Puccio di Simone, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1354-1357 Avignon ,Musée du Petit Palais |
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| Coronation of the Virgin Italian, Late 14th Century New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters Collection |
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| Niccolo di Buonaccorso, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1380 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection |
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Limbourg Brothers, Coronation of the Virgin
From the Tres Riches Heures of the Duc of Berry
Flemish, c.1410
Chantilly, Musée Condé
MS 65, fol. 60v
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| Lorenzo Monaco, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, 1414 Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi |
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| Fra Angelico, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1434-1435 Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi |
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| Fra Angelico, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, c. 1434-1435 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Jean Fouquet, Enthronement of Mary as Queen of Heaven From the Hours of Etienne Chevalier French (Tours), c. 1450-1460 Chantilly, Musée Condé MS 71, fol 113 |
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| Enguerrand Charenton, Coronation of the Virgin French, 1454 Villeneuve-les-Avignon, Hospice |
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| Workshop of Guillaume Vrelant, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours Flemish (Bruges), c. 1455-1465 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 387, fol. 127v |
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| Jean Colombe and Workshop, Coronation of the Virgin From a Book of Hours French (Bourges), c. 1465-1470 New Yok, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 248, fol. 60r |
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| Master of the Exrivainage and Workshop, Coronation of the Virgin From City of God of Saint Augustine of Hippo French (Paris), c. 1475-1500 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 28, fol. 273v |
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| Maestro de las Once Mil Virgenes, Coronation of the Virgin Spanish, c. 1490 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Vicente Macip, Coronation of the Virgin Spanish, After 1521 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
From the High Renaissance to the End of the Baroque
From the period of the High Renaissance (beginning around 1500 in central Italy) through the Baroque and later periods all of these themes were incorporated into the images of the Coronation of the Virgin that were produced by artists. |
| Ridolfi Ghirlandaio, Coronation of the Virgin with Six Saints (Saints Peter Martyr_John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Francis of Assisi and Thomas Aquinas) Italian, c.1504 Avignon, Musée du Petit Palais |
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| Giulio Clovio, Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity From the Farnese Hours Italian, 1546 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M 69, fol. 48v-49r |
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| Paolo Veronese, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, 1555 Venice, Church of San Sebastiano |
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Tintoretto, Coronation of the Virgin
Sketch for decoration in the Palace of the Doges (Venice)
Italian, c. 1588
Paris, Musée du Louvre
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| Tintoretto, Coronation of Virgin (Known as the Paradiso) Italian, c.1588-1590 Venice, Palace of the Doges |
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| El Greco, Coronation of the Virgin Greco-Spanish, 1592 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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Annibale Carracci, Coronation of the Virgin
Italian, After 1595
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
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| Peter Paul Rubens, Coronation of the Virgin Flemish, c.1620 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Giovanni Serodine, Coronation of the Virgin with Saints (Back row: Saints John the Evangelist, Peter, Paul and Sebastian. Front row: Saints Anthony Abbot and Charles Borromeo) Swiss, c. 1625-1630 Ascona (Switzerland), Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul |
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| Peter Paul Rubens, Coronation of the Virgin Oil Sketch for an Altarpiece formerly in Berlin (destroyed 1945) Flemish, c. 1632-1633 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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Diego Velazquez, Coronation of the Virgin
Spanish, 1641-1644
Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado
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| David Teniers the Younger, Coronation of the Virgin Dutch, c. 1650 Munich, Bayerische Staatsgalerie, Alte Pinakothek |
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| Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert, Coronation of the Virgin Flemish, c.1650 Lille_Palais des Beaux-Arts |
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| Sebastian de Herrera Barnuevo, Coronation of the Virgin Spanish, c. 1653 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Charles de La Fosse, Coronation of the Virgin French, c. 1672-1676 Rouen, Musée des Beaux-Arts |
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| Pedro de Calabria, Coronation of the Virgin Italian, End of 17th-Beginning of 18th Century Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Attributed to Michelangelo Unterberger, Coronation of the Virgin Austrian, c. 1760 Vienna, Belvedere Museum |
The Nineteenth Century
In the nineteenth century the tradition continued, but in a reduced form. It seems to have lost some of its popularity to other images of the Virgin such as the Immaculate Conception, which received greater attention during the period. |
| Romain Cazes, Coronation of the Virgin French, c.1850 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Melchior Doze, Coronation of the Virgin French, c. 1900 Beauvais, MUDO, Musée de l'Oise |
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1, Pope Pius XII, “Ad Caeli Reginam”, Encyclical, October 11, 1954. It can be accessed in full at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_11101954_ad-caeli-reginam_en.html
2. See section entitled "Feast of Queenship" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_Heaven#Feast_of_Queenship
© M. Duffy, Originally written 2011. Revised and expanded 2019.
