Adoration of the Magi
Biblical Context
Adoration of the Magi - The visit of the three wise men (Magi) from the East who followed a star to Bethlehem to pay homage to the infant Jesus, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:1-12).
An unfinished painting showing Leonardo's innovative compositional approach:
- Energetic horses, like rushing water
- Madonna and the Child as the apex of a stable pyramid
- Started with a dark wash that created the areas of shadow, then defined edges with brush
