The Adoration of the Magi

Cenni di Francesco's Adoration of the Magi from around 1380 represents the late Trecento Florentine school at a moment when artists were synthesizing the legacies of Giotto and the Sienese decorative tradition. The Epiphany was among the most popular subjects for Gothic altarpieces, celebrating the recognition of Christ's divinity by the three kings. Cenni was a prolific painter active in Florence and its environs, contributing to major fresco cycles and altarpiece commissions.

Painted in egg tempera and gold ground on panel, the composition employs the rich decorative surfaces typical of late Gothic Florentine painting. Tooled gold haloes and elaborate textile patterns demonstrate skilled workshop practice in punchwork and gilding techniques.