Adoration of the Magi

Unknown

ca. 1510–20 · Marble · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

A Christian gospel recounts that three magi (also called wise men or kings) travelled from distant lands to worship the newborn Jesus Christ. In this relief, the three kings remove their headdresses in succession and progress from standing to kneeling, venerating the holy infant. Framed like a painting, the relief challenges the pictorial limits of sculpture. The closest figures project with sharp focus, and those furthest away are shallow and blurred. In the distant mountain valley, a shepherd and his dog save their flock from a stalking wolf. These figures likely reference Christ the Savior, who compared himself to the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1510–20

Medium

Marble

Culture

Italian, Milan

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917