Artwork
Adoration of the Magi
Adoration of the Magi is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Bartolo di Fredi. It dates from 1374 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work emphasizes the recognition of Jesus' divinity by the three kings, symbolizing Gentile acknowledgment of the Messiah and the fulfillment of prophecy.
The composition depicts the biblical scene of the Magi presenting gifts to the infant Christ, a standard representation of the Adoration of the Magi within Christian iconography. The work emphasizes the recognition of Jesus' divinity by the three kings, symbolizing Gentile acknowledgment of the Messiah and the fulfillment of prophecy. This theme underscores theological concepts of revelation and universal salvation, common in late medieval religious art.
The painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains part of the museum's collection of early Italian religious works.
History & Provenance
The Adoration of the Magi is a religious painting by Bartolo di Fredi, dated to 1374. According to the work's cataloguing, it was created around that year and entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No further details about its commission, original patron, or successive ownerships prior to the museum are documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1374, the Adoration of the Magi is a tempera panel by Bartolo di Fredi, a leading figure of the Sienese school. The work illustrates the biblical episode in which the three wise men honor the infant Christ, a theme frequently rendered in medieval devotional art. It now belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Technique & Style
Di Fredi employs the tempera medium on wood, using clear, linear outlines and a vivid palette characteristic of late medieval Sienese painting. The figures are stylized with elongated forms and decorative detailing, echoing Byzantine iconography while hinting at emerging naturalism. Architectural elements such as the red‑tiled roof and wooden beams are rendered with precise, flattened perspective, creating a harmonious yet symbolic space.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolo di Fredi (c. 1330 – 26 January 1410), also called Bartolo Battiloro, was an Italian painter, born in Siena, classified as a member of the Sienese School.
