The Adoration of the Magi

Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi · c. 1440/1460
National Gallery of Art, Washington

This round panel was painted in Florence in the mid-1400s, probably for the Medici family. Scholars believe Fra Angelico began it and the younger friar Fra Filippo Lippi finished it, which is why the faces and colours differ from one part to another.

Mary sits at the lower right with the Child before a simple shed. The kings kneel in front of her, and behind them a seemingly endless procession of followers, horses and camels winds down from the hills and through the ruins of an old city.

From the text

The Magi from the east who came to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1)

“They saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11)

Gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11)

The artist’s own

Three kings in rich Florentine robes (the text gives no number and does not call them kings — that is tradition)

A stable with an ox and a donkey instead of the “house” of Matthew 2:11

A huge procession with horses and camels, through ruined Roman-style arches

A peacock on the roof — painters of the time often used it as a sign of eternal life

Details

Mary and the Child

Mary in a pale blue mantle holds the Child on her lap; he reaches out towards the kneeling king.

The kings

Kneeling in gold-trimmed robes; the one nearest the Child is the oldest, the one in red holds a small gold vessel.

Joseph

Standing beside Mary in an apricot cloak and a blue hood.

A peacock

Perched on the roof of the shed, its long tail hanging down.

The procession

Followers on foot and on horseback pour through a ruined arch.

Fra Angelico (Florentine, c. 1395–1455) and Fra Filippo Lippi (Florentine, c. 1406–1469). National Gallery of Art, Washington (Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1952.2.2) · Tempera on poplar panel · NGA Open Access: "Images of these works are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial, under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)." (NGA open data: published_images.csv openaccess = 1)

The verses

Matt 2:1–12After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared. And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight. On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.