The Vatican icon depicts the Marian iconographic theme called, in the East, the Dormition of the Virgin, or in the West, the Assumption. In the Christian East, the Dormition emphasizes the Virgin who did not die but only fell asleep. The Dormition of the Virgin is celebrated on August 15.  On that day, the Church remembers the event handed down by the tradition of the apocryphal texts, which affirm that the apostles scattered throughout the world to spread the Gospel, miraculously gathered all in Jerusalem, to give the last farewell to the Virgin. 

The work has two elements: a tempera painting on the wooden panel and a metal plate called riza, which covers the board. In this Vatican icon, we see the Virgin lying and sleeping in her funeral bed, with her hands crossed over her chest, dressed in a maphorion, and she has her head framed by a golden halo.  Next to her, we observe a footstool and slippers.  A lovely nod to the “every day” which gives more realism to the scene.  On either side of Mary’s funeral bed are the twelve apostles.  Behind, however, Jesus appears with a cross hat on his head.  Christ himself is the compositional center of the scene.  In his right hand, covered by his mantle, he holds a small figure, representing the animula of the Virgin with her head surrounded by a golden nimbus.  Among the apostles, Saints Paul and Peter are easy to recognize, depicted on either side of the bed.  Peter, on the left, offers incense.  In the background of the scene, there are representations of two barely outlined buildings.  In the frame, there are depictions of four saints: Sts. Nicholas and John the Warrior, on the left, and the right, Sts. Alexander the Monk, and Longinus. 

The work was donated to Pius XII and has been in the Christian Museum since 1953.