Adoration of the Magi is one of the beautiful frescoes by the Italian artist Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) in the Cappella Scrovegni a Padova (the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua).
Mary, Joseph and at least one angel present the infant Jesus to the Magi. Two camels and their handlers are the only beings in the work without a numbus halo which would seem to indicate that Giotto has elevated the status of the visitors to deities. A comet-like star flashes across the heavens above the tableau leading the visitors to the stable where the Holy Birth took place.
It is such a shame that so much of this fresco painting by Giotto has been lost to the ravages of time. Thankfully, the Scrovegni Chapel and the paintings which adorn it are being carefully conserved.
To see more examples of the beautiful frescoes painted by this early Renaissance painter and learn about his life, please visit our biography of <a href=”http://www.thefamousartists.com/giotto”>Giotto</a>.