While many works of art featuring the Adoration of the Magi can be found within Florentine art, especially from the fifteenth century, only a few contain the innovative elements that signaled a stylistic shift and influenced subsequent creations.
A little-noticed representation
One significant, yet often overlooked representation of the Adoration of the Magi is not a large piece. As is frequently the case, innovations in Western painting are first observed in small-format images. In this instance, the predella of the Tabernacle of the Linen, a masterpiece by Beato Angelico, stands out as one of the most innovative depictions of the Magi from its time.
Created between 1432 and 1436 through the collaboration of Lorenzo Ghiberti and the famous Dominican friar Giovanni da Fiesole, better known as Beato Angelico or Fra Angelico, the work was commissioned by the Arte dei Rigattieri, Linaioli e Sarti of Florence (the linen draper guild). It skillfully combines architecture, sculpture, and painting, showcasing the successful partnership between Lorenzo Ghiberti and Beato Angelico. The monumentality and complexity of the tabernacle illustrate the crucial role of the guild commissions in the cultural promotion of the Florence’s Quattrocento. The work features a marble structure designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti, which frames a central panel painted by Angelico, depicting the Virgin with Child enthroned, surrounded by musician angels, as well as two panels adorned with full-figure saints. The large scale of the piece reflects a desire to compete with the sculptural tabernacles of Orsanmichele and the Maestà by Bernardo Daddi, located within the church of the same name, whose marble frame bears a strong resemblance.
The Novelties in the Predella
While I will address the large central panel with the Maestà on another occasion, I want to focus now on the predella, completed between 1434 and 1435. Alongside Saint Peter Dictating the Gospel to Saint Mark and the Martyrdom of Saint Mark, the central panel featuring the Adoration of the Magi presents an iconographic innovation.
This innovative Adoration of the Magi by Beato Angelico departs from the traditional linear composition to adopt a circular arrangement, creating a dynamic procession that interacts complexly with the perspective space. This scene, along with the Martyrdom of Saint Mark, illustrates the artist’s desire to experiment with new compositional and narrative approaches. Additionally, we observe a new, active role for Saint Joseph. Unlike previous representations, where he is often depicted apart from the scene, contemplating the mystery of the Incarnation with a perplexed expression, here he engages directly with one of the Magi, exchanging a sort of brotherly embrace.
The colours used by Angelico are striking; the blues, pinks, and yellows in the characters’ garments showcase his mastery of miniature art, where small images, such as initials or illuminated pages, needed to stand out through bright colours.
A resemblance to the Madonna by Sassetta
Another aspect that captured my attention in this Adoration of the Magi painted by Fra Angelico is the representation of Mary as she shows baby Jesus to the Magi, intended to adoring him. The angled view of Mary reminds me of the elegant figure of the Virgin in another Adoration of the Magi, also from a predella created around the same years by Stefano di Giovanni, known as Sassetta, a prominent Sienese painter of the early fifteenth century.
on the left side: Adoration of Magi (detail) by Fra Angelico; on the right side, Adoration of Magi (detail) by Sassetta
At first glance, the two works may appear so similar that one might suspect that one artist copied the other. However, the differences in how Fra Angelico positioned the Child on His mother’s lap suggest that these artists were drawing on ideas rather than simply replicating each other’s works. This borrowing of concepts was quite common at the time, and my observation could spark new reflections on the vibrant exchanges that occurred between artists. This becomes particularly significant when considering the isolation and distance historically evident between the study of Sienese and Florentine art’s academic tradition, as if artists in both cities had rarely, if ever, shared their experiences.
In conclusion, the predella with the Adoration of Magi of Beato Angelico reaffirms the vital role this painter played in shaping the Renaissance. I invite you to pay greater attention to this small painting when you have the opportunity to visit the Museum of San Marco in Florence ⟢
