The painting is based on the traditional Catholic belief that the Virgin Mary was physically crowned "Queen of Heaven" by her son, Jesus, after her assumption, a moment which was popularly painted in Florence in the 14th century. Yet in the 16th-century depiction of Tintoretto's coronation, which was a period heavily dominated by mannerism, he used a classical hierarchy of scale, atmospheric perspective and light to draw attention to the two figures most important, but physically smallest, of the coronation. composition, the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay But before beginning my analysis, I would like to point out that although the painting hangs at a height of 1.43 meters by 3.62 meters at the Louvre Museum, the final composition is to be imagined in a larger setting and most grandiose at the Palazzo Ducale, Doge's Palace, Venice, where it will eventually reach a size of more than 22 meters by 7 meters high. The Louvre painting hangs at eye level, while Tintoretto's final work hangs above the doors, where one would have to physically crane one's neck upwards if standing near the painting. This difference in visualization would greatly affect an analysis, so when observing this sketch at the Louvre I decided to also keep in mind the final viewing location of similar compositions. In Tintoretto's oil on canvas, he sets up his almost perfectly balanced, but cluttered, space. composition on semi-oval planes, where in the center they begin to flatten into only slightly rounded paintings, which in turn adds greater depth to the painting. These tables constitute flat bases for the hierarchy of figures to be defined. At the highest level we have the Virgin Mary crowned by her son, Jesus. Mary's body is elongated and appears to be made entirely of cartilage as her body curves and crouches in a way that human anatomy cannot form itself. In its tilted and twisted position, Jesus' head becomes the tallest figurative piece in the painting, informing the viewer that Jesus is the most important figure in the composition. On the same level, the twelve apostles of Jesus are seated in a hierarchical order (smaller than Jesus and Mary), with all bodies depicted in the same mannerist style as that of Mary, Jesus and the rest of the figures. On the second level, below the Coronation, there are other biblical figures such as angels, three different popes and Saint John the Baptist, represented by his high cross. The third floor, covered largely in shadow, houses the celestial orchestra where angels play contemporary instruments of the time. Each level shows the importance of the characters as the highest plane holds the highest sacred importance, the second plane contains important religious figures and finally, the sacred orchestra and choir. On the third level where the celestial band plays, at the front, those playing instruments that would sound strong in a choir like guitar and piano are nicely highlighted while the rest of the band seems to start to blend in. This hierarchy of scale continues throughout the play as we see Adam and Eve (represented by the lightness of their clothing) where they appear almost double in size to the figure seated to their right. Their size is so large that they take up more than one cloud and appear to need to be balanced against the clouds below them as their legs dangle. Obeying the classic hierarchyscales, Tintoretto gives his figures and his composition easily readable plans; using this technique he is able to define which are the most important figures in his representation of the Coronation of the Virgin. The atmospheric perspective that Tintoretto creates in his Coronation of the Virgin adds to the monumentality of this depiction and further highlights Mary and Jesus. 'high positions. The true vanishing point of the painting is the crown that Jesus holds above Mary's head. This high vanishing point gives the viewer the feeling that they must be looking up at Jesus and Mary, which makes them feel smaller, less significant. In the painting, Tintoretto created such depth as if the painting never really ends, as if the viewer is just inside the painting and it is not hanging on any wall. By creating this depth, he is able to trick the eye into believing that the crowd of worshipers is extraordinary. This atmospheric perspective adds to the energy of such an important moment as the coronation. The atmosphere adds vibrant movement to each of the figures as your eye is directed upwards in large loops. Looking at the board is like navigating your way through a circus, with your eye constantly drawn to something beautiful or strange until you reach the center ring and find the Ring Master himself . In this case we find Jesus. The atmospheric perspective brought about by the great depth of the crowd and the singular empty space at the bottom middle, looks up and keeps you waiting as you reach the coronation of the Virgin Mary. Light is an important signifier for the viewer, in a composition as full as Tintoretto's Coronation of the Virgin. The light in Tintoretto's work seems to come from the upper center of the piece and cast its light into the growing composition. The light in this painting can easily be interpreted as God or the Holy Spirit as it seems to touch everyone in the room and looks down from above at the sacred moment. Light is also used more effectively on the Virgin Mary and Jesus at the moment she is made Queen. The light absorbs them completely and, with the help of Tintoretto's pastel palette, they glow celestially, almost mystically, as if they themselves were being lifted and turned. in the light, illuminating the viewer. The lighting and shadows in this composition highlight other key characters in this scene. For example, light sparkles on many of the pope's robes, attracting the attention of onlookers. And even though Adam and Eve are in one of the densest sections of the painting, they pop out when the light catches their bare skin and illuminates it a little. Many of the angels in the painting are bathed in sunlight as if they are also absorbed in divine light. The pastel and luminous tones of Tintoretto's Coronation of the Virgin would be ineffective without his choice of lighting which becomes divine by choosing who is the most important, the holiest in its populous composition. When analyzing Tintoretto's Coronation of the Virgin, we cannot help but get lost in the composition which, not monumental in its dimensions (at the Louvre), is monumental in its subject, its material and its energy. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized essay now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayStanding in front of busy work, it's as if you can hear the angels singing and the shuffling of bodies. You can almost start to feel the orange light sweeping across your face as you look up at Jesus and the Virgin Mary. If you stand in front of the work for too long, you could be.