In this painting, painted for the altar of the Roman church of Santa Maria della Scala in Trastavera, Caravaggio, the reformist painter, gives his interpretation of the traditional plot of the Assumption of Our Lady. Traditionally, the departure from the life of the Virgin Mary was not regarded as a tragedy, since the Mother of God, who lived to old age, ascended to heaven after her death and was reunited forever with her beloved Son.

Caravaggio, on the other hand, saw in this plot precisely the tragedy that plunged the apostles into deep sorrow. The image of the deceased Virgin speaks too eloquently of the suffering and mortal torment experienced. Her body is painted with a degree of realism for which the customers of the work were not ready, in addition, a close acquaintance of the artist, a girl of easy virtue, served as a model for the Blessed Virgin. This was the reason for the customer’s refusal from the finished painting.