Artwork
The Adoration of the Magi
The Adoration of the Magi is an ink drawing by the Baroque artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It dates from 1653 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:recto: none; verso: at lower right in later hand in graphite: Murillo c LXIII ancien A. Larouse
About this work
Overview
This drawing depicts a scene from the biblical narrative of the Magi's visit to the newborn Jesus, executed in pen and brown ink with brown wash over red and black chalk on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is the Adoration of the Magi, a key episode in Christian iconography, where three wise men pay homage to Jesus, symbolizing the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah by the non-Jewish world.
Technique & Style
The work showcases Murillo's use of pen and ink for detailed lines, combined with brown wash for shading and red and black chalk for underdrawing, characteristic of 17th-century Spanish draughtsmanship.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1653, the drawing's early ownership history is not detailed in the provided facts, though it is attributed to the Spanish artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
Context
Produced during the Spanish Golden Age, this drawing reflects the religious themes prevalent in Murillo's oeuvre and the artistic techniques of his time.
Legacy
As a specific legacy of this drawing is not provided, its impact can be inferred through Murillo's overall influence on subsequent European religious art.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( mure-IL-oh, m(y)uu-REE-oh, Spanish:; late December 1617, baptised 1 January 1618 – 3 April 1682) was a Spanish Baroque painter.
- The Adoration of the Magi
The Adoration of the Magi
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