Adoration of the Magi
ca. 1470–90
Medium
Oil and gold on beech panel
Dimensions
Overall: 7 1/2 x 6 7/8 in. (19 x 17.5 cm); Painted Surface: 7 3/16 x 6 3/4 in. (18.3 x 17.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
German, Middle Rhine(?)
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.134
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite small-scale panel, *Adoration of the Magi hails from Germany—likely the Middle Rhine regionaround 1470–90, a time when late Gothic traditions blended with emerging Renaissance influences. Depicting the biblical scene of the three wise men presenting gifts to the Christ Child and Virgin Mary, it captures a moment of profound reverence central to Christian devotion. Such intimate works were often created for private altars or personal prayer, reflecting the era's emphasis on spiritual contemplation amid the religious fervor of pre-Reformation Europe. Painted in oil with gold leaf...
About the Artist
German
**German, Franconia (active ca. 1485–1500)** was an anonymous artist from the Franconian region of northern Bavaria, Germany, renowned for his contributions to late Gothic graphic arts. Little is known of his early life or training, as details about many anonymous masters from this era remain undocumented. Franconia, with its vibrant artistic centers like Nuremberg, fostered a rich tradition of re...