Adoration of the Magi (Filippino Lippi)
Encyclopedia
The Adoration of the Magi is a painting by the Italian
Renaissance
painter Fillipo Lippi. It is signed and dated at 1496. It is housed in the Uffizi
of Florence
.
The panel was painted for the Convent of the San Donato agli Scopeti, in substitution of the one commissioned
in 1481 to Leonardo da Vinci
, who left it unfinished. In 1529 it was acquired by Cardinal Carlo de' Medici
and in 1666 it became part of the Uffizi collection.
Fillipo Lippi followed Leonardo's setting, in particular in the central part of the work. Much of its inspiration was clearly derived from Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi
, also in the Uffizi: this is evident in the disposition of the characters on the two sides, with the Holy Family portrayed in the centre under. Similarly to Botticelli's work, Filippino also portrayed numerous members of the Medici cadet line, who had adhered to the Savonarolian Republic in the period in which the work was executed. On the left, kneeling and holding with a quadrant
, is Pierfrancesco de' Medici
. Behind him, standing, are his two sons Giovanni, holding a goblet, and Lorenzo, from whom a page is removing a crown.
The general style is that of Fillipo's late career, characterized by a greater care to details and by a nervous rhythm in the forms, influenced by the knowledge of foreign painting schools (as also in the landscape of the background).
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
painter Fillipo Lippi. It is signed and dated at 1496. It is housed in the Uffizi
Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery , is a museum in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world.-History:...
of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
The panel was painted for the Convent of the San Donato agli Scopeti, in substitution of the one commissioned
Adoration of the Magi (Leonardo)
-Bibliography:-External links:******...
in 1481 to Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
, who left it unfinished. In 1529 it was acquired by Cardinal Carlo de' Medici
Carlo de' Medici
Carlo de' Medici may refer to:*Carlo de' Medici , illegitimate child of Cosimo de' Medici*Carlo de' Medici , Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, Dean of the College of Cardinals...
and in 1666 it became part of the Uffizi collection.
Fillipo Lippi followed Leonardo's setting, in particular in the central part of the work. Much of its inspiration was clearly derived from Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi
Adoration of the Magi of 1475 (Botticelli)
The Adoration of the Magi is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, dating from 1475 or 1476. It is housed in the Uffizi of Florence.The Adoration of the Magi theme was popular in the Renaissance Florence...
, also in the Uffizi: this is evident in the disposition of the characters on the two sides, with the Holy Family portrayed in the centre under. Similarly to Botticelli's work, Filippino also portrayed numerous members of the Medici cadet line, who had adhered to the Savonarolian Republic in the period in which the work was executed. On the left, kneeling and holding with a quadrant
Quadrant (instrument)
A quadrant is an instrument that is used to measure angles up to 90°. It was originally proposed by Ptolemy as a better kind of astrolabe. Several different variations of the instrument were later produced by medieval Muslim astronomers.-Types of quadrants:...
, is Pierfrancesco de' Medici
Pierfrancesco di Lorenzo de' Medici
Pierfrancesco de' Medici the Elder was an Italian banker and diplomat, a member of the House of Medici of Florence.Born in Florence, he was the son of Lorenzo the Elder and Ginevra Cavalcanti, and thus nephew of Cosimo de' Medici and cousin to Piero the Gouty, de facto lords of the city from...
. Behind him, standing, are his two sons Giovanni, holding a goblet, and Lorenzo, from whom a page is removing a crown.
The general style is that of Fillipo's late career, characterized by a greater care to details and by a nervous rhythm in the forms, influenced by the knowledge of foreign painting schools (as also in the landscape of the background).