Biblical Magi

The Biblical Magi, also referred to as the Three Wise Men or Three Kings, were distinguished foreigners in the Gospel of Matthew who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They are said to have followed a star to Bethlehem to worship the newborn "King of the Jews."

In Western Christian tradition, they are often depicted as three kings named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar, though none of these details appear in the biblical account. Their journey to worship Christ became one of the most popular subjects in Renaissance art, particularly in Florence where the Compagnia de' Magi (Company of the Magi) was an important confraternity to which the Medici family belonged.