The Adoration of the Magi
ca. 1695-1700
Medium
Oil on wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, gold
Dimensions
24 × 33 7/8 in. (61 × 86 cm) Framed: 33 7/16 × 43 5/16 in. (85 × 110 cm)
Culture
Mexico
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Louis V. Bell, Harris Brisbane Dick, Fletcher, and Rogers Funds and Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, Maria DeWitt Jesup Fund, and Museo Kaluz Gift, 2022
Accession Number
2022.408
Art Historical Context
In the opulent glow of *The Adoration of the*, Mexican artist Miguel Gonzalez captures a timeless biblical scene from around 1695–1700: the Three Wise Men presenting gifts to the infant Christ, Mary, and Joseph. Created during the late Baroque era in New Spain (colonial Mexico), this work reflects the fervent Catholicism of the period, where religious art served as both devotional tool and display of artistic virtuosity. Gonzalez, a of the colonial tradition, infuses the composition with dramatic light, rich symbolism, and a sense of awe, drawing viewers into the sacred moment. What sets this...