The Adoration of the Magi (from The Life of the Virgin, set of 20)

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The Adoration of the Magi (from The Life of the Virgin, set of 20)

Artist Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528)

Dateabout 1503

Dimensions11 7/8 x 8 1/4 in.

MediumWoodcut

ClassificationPrints

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number

1924.48

Not on View

Label TextAlthough inspired by a 1475 engraving by Martin Schongauer of the same subject, Dürer’s depiction departs from his predecessor’s by placing the elder Magi in the exact center in order to create compositional balance. This symmetry is emphasized by the thatched roof that covers the two Magi on the left and the masonry arch that frames the Holy Family. All the participants, even the dog, react expressively while the three kings kneel and offer the Christ child gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.Published ReferencesDackerman, Susan, editor, Painted Prints: The Revelation of Color in Northern Renaissance & Baroque Engravings, Etchings, and Woodcuts, The Baltimore Museum of Art, 2002, cat. 43 Bartsch 87. Hollstein 199. Meder 199.Exhibition HistoryTMA Durer Prints: Sept. 17 -Oct. 30, 1983