Autel des Rois Mages : L'Adoration des Mages

This Adoration of the Magi altarpiece by Bernhard Strigel, created around 1500 for the Strigel Museum in Memmingen, reflects the artist's deep roots in his native city. The Strigel family had been painters in Memmingen for generations, and Bernhard elevated the family workshop to court-level prestige through his connection to Emperor Maximilian I. 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.

The altarpiece panel combines Strigel's characteristic clear figure drawing and bright color with the elaborate architectural settings and rich textile details expected in an Epiphany scene for a prominent Swabian church.