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

The Biblical story, related to the birth of the Savior of the World, was popular in the Renaissance. Everyone portrayed this scene in about the same vein. However, Leonardo approached this topic quite differently. "Adoration of the Magi" - a picture of Leonardo da Vinci, which can be called the first mature enough 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 the prospect and his engineering research. But there is something more in this picture - the secret of her design is not disclosed until now.

History of creation

Painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Adoration of the Magi" is exhibited at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the city in which she was born in 1481-1482. The canvas is written in tempera and oil on fastened poplar boards.

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

Indignant monks hired another artist to complete the painting, which was not very ceremonious with the author's intention and made changes to his taste (and maybe followed the instructions of the church). Fortunately, numerous sketches have been preserved, which help to unravel the plot of the picture.

Leonardo da Vinci: "Adoration of the Magi." Description of the picture

Some art critics believe that the picture is a sketch of several topics that are not related to the basic semantic focus - Mary with the baby Jesus. Do not see it, as expected, animals, for example, the donkey and ox.

In the center of the picture is the Virgin with the newborn. Around her is a semicircle of admirers in kneeling positions. In the foreground there are three czar-magi, who offer holy gifts. There is still a background, darker, with a large tree, which is spelled with naturalistic precision.

In the upper left corner you can see a dilapidated building. At the top right are the two battling riders.

In the lower right corner, a young man is depicted, turned away because of which all views are riveted, although his gestures point to the Holy Family. Art critics believe that this young man has a portrait resemblance to the young Leonardo.

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

Traditional interpretation of the meaning of the depicted biblical story

"Adoration of the Magi" - a picture of Leonardo da Vinci, the analysis of which is quite difficult, as 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 gift of the gift to the future Savior by one of the Magi. While the oldest king crouches at Maria's feet, the second, humbly pressing against the rock, gives the baby. The third wise man is only about to sink to his knees. It is assumed that these figures personify 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 a new era - the era of mercy and love. The central tree draws its roots to the head of the infant Christ, hinting at his kinship with King David.

Two riders on the right resemble the feuding 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 environment.

Findings of Maurizio Seracini

Applying a deep scan of the paint layer, the Florentine Serachini managed to penetrate the upper layers of the paint and see the original image of the "Magi". It turned out that the picture was cut from below by 10 cm. It was polished with solvents, and then primed with white. Over time, cracks appeared, which again were covered, now in blue. That is, the "unfinished" picture was made mainly by subsequent manipulations.

Painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Adoration of the Magi" was filled with a mass of people engaged in a variety of activities. In all, about 66 figures were singled out. There were also animals: a donkey, a bull and an elephant.

Became more pronounced three-dimensional picture. In the foreground comes the giving of gifts to a sacred baby. But the Theotokos does not stand on the ground, but on a rock, as on a pedestal. At the top right, battle scenes clearly appeared. And the left upper corner was filled with workers building a new temple.

Gesture of John the Baptist

"Adoration of the Magi" - a picture of 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 portrayed an adult man with a pointing finger.

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

• John the Baptist patronized Florence.

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

• Rafael in his painting "School in Athens" portrayed Leonardo in the image of Plato, with the same gesture of John.

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

John's Tree: what is known about it

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

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

During the Renaissance, the image of the "John's Tree" became associated with his real presence.

Stairs to nowhere?

In fact, in the left upper part of the picture you can see two stairs, each with 16 steps. And they lead to the top platform - the last step of the ascent. So, in sum, this is a ladder in 33 steps. This number, announced by the next "Da Vinci Code", enabled some researchers to assume Leonardo's connection with the Templars Order - it coincides with the number of "degrees" of initiation from the adepts of this sect.

Since under the paint on the top area of the building were found builders engaged in the erection of its walls, it became clear that the "symbol of paganism", according to the author's intention, was to be reborn.

"Adoration of the Magi" - a picture of Leonardo da Vinci, in which he himself "seen" twice.

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

Not a duel, but a battle

In the upper right-hand square - where initially there was an image of two fighting soldiers, a whole massacre was displayed. Seracini himself reports that the sight of this battle aroused his horror. This is a real battle, hidden under layers of paint.

Perhaps the picture of Leonardo da Vinci's "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 the painting of 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 people's faces turned towards a temple of a different faith are visible.

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