The Adoration of the Magi
1740
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1740
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see Mary on a low platform, holding baby Jesus out to three wise men—two kneeling, one standing in a turban. Tiepolo twists the usual scene: the figures feel loose, almost like a quick sketch, not a stiff religious painting. The black magus in the back gets the same light as the others, which wasn’t common at the time. For more of this light, quick style, look up *sfumato*.
