The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1440-45

According to the Gospel of Matthew, three Magi, guided by a star, found the newborn Christ and laid gifts before him. Artists throughout the 15th century considerably elaborated upon this biblical account, devoting particular attention on the Magi's entourage, which gave them an opportunity to depict the splendor of contemporary aristocratic life. Here, the Magi supplicate solemnly before the divine child in the Virgin's arms, while their bustling retinue of courtiers and animals provides an exuberant visual diversion.