“Adoration of the Magi”, Jacopo Bassano – description of the painting

Description of the picture:

Adoration of the Magi – Jacopo Bassano. 1576-1580. Canvas, oil. 125×140
The work of Jacopo Bassano continues the traditions of that direction of Venetian painting, which is marked by high festivity. This line was developed by Gentile Bellini, Vittore Carpaccio, Titian and Paolo Veronese. In this picture, which the painter co-authored with the offspring of Leandro, the plot itself helped to make a colorful, polyphonic and at the same time lyrical in spirit canvas.

Almost all of his first plan is busy the wise men, who in a noisy crowd on stallions, donkeys and camels came from distant lands to bow to the born Savior. The baby is sitting on Mary’s lap, Saint Joseph is standing behind, and in front of them, exotic-dressed people are sorting the gifts they have brought to bring them to Christ. The whole picture is imbued with the high spirits that guests usually bring with them. Juicy, deep colors, playing in many shades, create an amazing flavor characteristic of Venetian painting.

Bassano, who liked to fill his canvases with household details, placed here a silver dish, a gold jug, a half-open chest that goes around a dog lying next to one of the magi his crown, a basket with diapers standing at the feet of Our Lady. The artist carefully depicted everything that created a sense of reality of what was happening, for example, the crib in which Jesus was born. But the master also felt a craving for magic, the sensation of which was intensified in every way in his work: in the distance, the landscape shimmering with marvelous colors was spread, and above all the star of Bethlehem that pointed to the magi shines."

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