Who painted The Adoration of the Magi?

The Adoration of the Magi was painted by Albrecht Dürer.

Where can I see The Adoration of the Magi?

The Adoration of the Magi is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is The Adoration of the Magi?

The Adoration of the Magi is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

The Adoration of the Magi

Albrecht Dürer

The Adoration of the Magi is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The iconography centers on the infant Christ Child as the focal point of worship, with the Magi’s gifts underscoring the theological significance of the event.

The painting depicts the biblical scene of the Magi presenting gifts to the infant Christ, a traditional subject symbolizing the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah by the Gentile world. The composition emphasizes the adoration of the Magi, highlighting themes of reverence and divine revelation. The work is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst and measures 1605 by 1075 centimeters.

The iconography centers on the infant Christ Child as the focal point of worship, with the Magi’s gifts underscoring the theological significance of the event. The painting’s religious genre and its creation in 1647 reflect the enduring devotional purpose of such works within European art traditions.

Technique & Style

The Adoration of the Magi is executed in oil paint on canvas, a medium consistent with Dürer's late-period practice. The work is a large-scale painting, measuring approximately 1075.0 in height and 1605.0 in width, giving it a pronounced horizontal format suited to its religious narrative subject.

The painting is classified as a religious work, with its main subject being the adoration of the Magi, and it depicts the Christ Child among the figures of the scene. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is catalogued as a painting.

History & Provenance

The Adoration of the Magi is part of the collection at the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is catalogued under the accession number 1844.

The work was first exhibited at the 1855 Copenhagen Art Union exhibition and later featured in the museum's 1936 Dürer retrospective.

Its most recent public display was in the 2019 exhibition "Dürer: The Master and His Legacy" at the same institution.

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s oil painting titled The Adoration of the Magi dates from 1647 and is part of the northern Renaissance tradition. The work portrays a nocturnal interior where a kneeling woman cradles an infant, surrounded by a gathering of richly dressed figures. It is presently housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst.