Adorazione dei Magi
Fra Angelico·1450
Historical Context
Adorazione dei Magi—Adoration of the Magi—painted around 1450 and held in the Museum of San Marco, depicts the visit of the three Wise Men to the infant Christ in Bethlehem. The subject was immensely popular in Florence, not least because the Medici family identified strongly with the Magi, sponsoring the Confraternity of the Magi and commissioning multiple versions of the scene. Fra Angelico's interpretation, while made for the Dominican friars of San Marco rather than a Medici patron, participates in this Florentine enthusiasm for the subject.
Technical Analysis
The Adoration of the Magi requires compositional management of a large, processional subject: the three kings with their retinue approaching the humble figures of Mary, Joseph, and the child. Fra Angelico uses the contrast between the elaborate costumes and wealth of the Magi and the simplicity of the Holy Family to concentrate the moment of recognition and worship.
