Kaisheimer Altar: Tod Mariens

Hans Holbein the Elder painted the Death of the Virgin for the Kaisheim Altar in 1502. The Dormition of the Virgin, with the apostles miraculously assembled at her deathbed, was a theologically important scene marking the end of Mary's earthly life. Holbein's treatment emphasizes the solemnity and sacred mystery of the moment. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with careful arrangement of the twelve apostles around the dying Virgin. Holbein's psychological sensitivity is evident in the individualized expressions of grief and reverence.