Leonardo da Vinci remains one of the brightest geniuses of the Renaissance. This man’s talent and insight by far surpassed the development of art and science of his times. Even contemporaries are still searching for mysteries and clues in da Vinci’s works. Here is a story behind “The Adoration of the Magi,” da Vinci’s unfinished painting with a rich history.
Leonardo da Vinci started working on “The Adoration of the Magi” in 1481 upon the order of Augustinian monks from a Florence monastery. However, he had to drop the painting one year later, in 1482, soon after moving to Milan to serve under Duke Ludovico Sforza. As a result, the unfinished painting remained in a sketchy form, with unfinished faces and eerie, shadowed figures on the canvas. Despite the fact that little was done, the painting is among da Vinci’s most studied works, as it reveals many innovative features in terms of painting composition and the use of perspective.
“The Adoration of the Magi” by da Vinci is rich in symbols and disguises lots of mystery that remain uncovered even by the contemporaries. The main element for which the painting is widely known is the unconventional composition, in which Jesus Christ and Mary are placed at the center of the canvas, surrounded by a chaotic set of human figures and ruins. Many experts associate this compositional choice with da Vinci’s effort to create a symbolic depiction of people’s transition from paganism to Christianity.
Another mysterious symbolic element in the painting is the ruined temple in the background, paired with rearing horses. These visual components have never been used in the classical Nativity depictions, thus leaving the art community puzzled about da Vinci’s intent.
The painting’s unfinished state is itself a source of rich analytical information because it reveals the intricacies of da Vinci’s creative process and sheds light on the steps of image layering that he used to create his world-famous masterpieces.
Interestingly, “The Adoration of the Magi” is not the only da Vinci’s unfinished painting. The artist left a large number of unfinished works that art experts and historians still study. Some other famous artworks include “The Battle of Anghiari,” a lost painting that, according to the legend, was later covered by a fresco at Palazzo Vecchio, and “Saint Jerome in the Wilderness.” Even “Mona Lisa” is broadly regarded as an unfinished painting, with new additions made by da Vinci until his death.
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