Painting by Leonardo da Vinci "The Adoration of the Magi": a description of the painting

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The biblical story associated with the birth of the Savior of the world was popular during the Renaissance. Everyone portrayed this scene in about the same way. However, Leonardo approached this topic in a completely different way. The Adoration of the Magi is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, which can be called the first fairly mature work in which he was able to show his individuality.

In it, he used the knowledge of human and animal anatomy, as well as the results of experiments with perspective and his engineering research. But there is something more in this picture - the secret of its design has not been revealed so far.

History of Creation

Leonardo da Vinci's Adoration of the Magi is exhibited at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the city where it was born in 1481-1482. The canvas is painted in tempera and oil on fastened poplar boards.

29-year-old Leonardo received this order on the recommendation of his father from his friend, the abbot of the Augustinian monastery. The painting was intended for the altar of the church of San Donato Scopeto. He worked on the order for only seven months, but he could not (or did not want to) finish the picture, decidinggo to Milan to Lodovico Sforza as a military engineer. Leonardo returned to Florence only after many years.

The indignant monks hired another artist to complete the picture, who did not stand on ceremony with the author's intention and made changes to his taste (or maybe followed the instructions of the church). Fortunately, numerous sketches have been preserved that help unravel the plot of the painting.

Leonardo da Vinci: Adoration of the Magi. Description of the painting

Some art historians believe that the picture is a sketch of several themes that are not related to the main semantic focus - Mary with baby Jesus. It is not visible on it, as expected, animals, for example, a donkey and an ox.

In the center of the picture is the Virgin with a newborn. Around her is a semicircle of worshipers in kneeling poses. In the foreground are three sorcerer kings presenting holy gifts. There is also a background, darker, with a large tree, which is written with naturalistic accuracy.

You can see a dilapidated building in the upper left corner. Two fighting horsemen are visible at the top right.

In the lower right corner, a young man is depicted, turning away from the one to whom all eyes are riveted, although his gestures point to the Holy Family. Art historians believe that this young man has a portrait resemblance to the young Leonardo.

The whole composition is built against the background of the silhouettes of mountain peaks, which is typical for many of Leonardo's works.

Traditional interpretation of meaningdepicted biblical story

"The Adoration of the Magi" is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the analysis of which is rather difficult, since its content does not fit into the usual framework.

The composition itself is built on the principle of a pyramid, where the head of Mary determines its top. The main theme is the presentation of a gift to the future Savior by one of the Magi. While the oldest king falls at the feet of Mary, the second, humbly clinging to the rock, bestows the baby. The third sorcerer is just about to kneel down. It is assumed that these figures represent the peoples of Asia, Africa and Europe, ready to accept a new faith.

The ruins on the left symbolize the palace of David, on the ruins of which two young trees have already grown, as symbols of the new time - the era of mercy and love. The central tree with its roots stretches to the head of the baby Christ, hinting at his relationship with King David.

The two horsemen on the right are reminiscent of warring kings who, after visiting Bethlehem, decided to make peace. In general, the composition emphasizes the contrast between the light emanating from Mary and the baby and the darkness of the surroundings.

Finds by Maurizio Seracini

Using a deep scan of the paint layer, the Florentine Seracini managed to penetrate the top layers of paint and see the original image of the Magi. It turned out that the picture was cut off from below by 10 cm. It was polished with solvents, and then primed with whitewash. Over time, cracks appeared, which were again smeared, now in blue. That is, the “incomplete” picture was made mainly by subsequent manipulations.

The picture of Leonardo da Vinci's "Adoration of the Magi" turned out to be filled with a mass of people engaged in various activities. In total, about 66 figures were identified. Animals were also found: a donkey, a bull and an elephant.

The three-dimensionality of the picture has become more pronounced. In the foreground, gifts are brought to the sacred baby. But the Mother of God does not stand on the ground, but on a rock, like on a pedestal. At the top right, battle scenes were clearly visible. And the upper left corner was filled with workers building a new temple.

Gesture of John the Baptist

“The Adoration of the Magi” is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, interesting facts about which can be noted in connection with the gesture of John the Baptist. In Catholicism, it is interpreted as a call to repentance.

It is known that John the Baptist was only six months older than Jesus. But under the central tree, Leonardo depicted an adult with a pointing finger.

So who is more important, John or Jesus? This theme became significant for Leonardo, accompanying him throughout his life. John followed him everywhere:

• John the Baptist patronized Florence.

• Leonardo repeatedly referred to the Baptist and his gesture in his work.

• Raphael in his painting "School in Athens" portrayed Leonardo in the image of Plato, with the sameJohn's gesture.

Thus, Leonardo da Vinci's painting "The Adoration of the Magi" directs the viewer's attention to the subtext associated with John the Baptist. The gesture is clearly visible, and the characters of the second plan, by the way, younger than those around the Mother of God, look not at Mary with the baby, but at the person who raised his finger up.

John's tree: what is known about it

Everyone agrees that Leonardo placed a carob tree (carob, ceratonia) over Mary, which was associated in Catholic symbols with John the Baptist, as he wandered through the desert, he ate its fruits.

These beans were the food of the poor in ancient Egypt. Subsequently, they began to feed animals. John was so unpretentious during the years of his wanderings that he ate only pods of ceratonia.

During the Renaissance, the image of the "Joan tree" became associated with its real presence.

Stairway to nowhere?

In fact, two staircases are visible in the upper left part of the picture, each with 16 steps. And they lead to the upper platform - the last step of the ascent. So, in total, this is a staircase of 33 steps. This number, announced as another "da Vinci code", made it possible for some researchers to assume that Leonardo was connected with the Knights Templar - it coincides with the number of "degrees" of initiation among the adherents of this sect.

Since builders were found under the paint on the top platform of the building, busy building its walls, it became clear that the "symbol of paganism", according tothe author's intention, was to be revived.

"The Adoration of the Magi" is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci in which he himself is "seen" twice.

One of the Magi turned out to be suspiciously similar to Leonardo himself in his old age, and the young man who turned away from the future Savior was Leonardo in his youth. There is something to think about here.

Not a duel, but a battle

In the upper right square, where originally there was an image of two fighting warriors, a whole massacre was highlighted. Seracini himself reports that the sight of this battle caused him horror. This is a real battle, hidden under layers of paint.

Perhaps the painting by Leonardo da Vinci "The Adoration of the Magi" contains the original idea of the battle theme, which he later realized in the "Battle of Anghiari". This fresco was recently found in the Palazzo Vecchio under a painting by Vasari.

If we talk about the symbolism of all the images of the artist, then in this part of the "Magi" he depicted his attitude to wars, including the Crusades - especially since under the battle scene the faces of people turned towards the other temple under construction are visible faith.

According to researcher Seracini, the key to understanding the legacy of the great artist and thinker is Leonardo da Vinci's Adoration of the Magi. The analysis and description of the painting, made by this author, largely clarify the undercurrents that were the prerequisites for the creation of his mysterious paintings. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the main discoveries are yet to come.