Adoration of the Three Kings - Pantocrator - Christ

Gentile da Fabriano's image of the Adoration of the Magi, Pantocrator, and Christ belongs to the broader context of his magnificent 1423 Strozzi altarpiece in Florence — the definitive statement of International Gothic splendor in early Quattrocento Italy. Gentile was the finest exponent of the International Gothic style in Italy, working for the greatest patrons of his day including Pope Martin V and the Doge of Venice, and his Adoration altarpiece surpassed anything previously attempted in decorative richness. The predella panels depicting associated subjects from Christ's life — the Nativity, Presentation, Flight into Egypt — were among the first predella sequences to receive the same level of care as the main panel.

Gentile's technique is the most refined of the International Gothic in Italy: tooled gold ground creating elaborate halos and textured backgrounds, ultra-thin glazes building the jewel-bright colors of eastern textiles and royal dress, and a confident command of the arabesque line that runs through every figure and drapery fold.