The Adoration of the Magi, ca. 1470

About the Work

Guided by the star of Bethlehem, the Three Wise Men and their retinue have reached the ruin we saw in the Nativity (33706). As described in the Gospel of Matthew, they present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They represent the three ages of life. Schongauer was a master at depicting widely differing textures—for example the velvet mantle of the kneeling king—with the means offered him by engraving.