Description
The Adoration of the Magi in the Scrovegni Chapel is one of the best-known scenes in the cycle of Christ's life and one of the compositions in which Giotto most effectively combines solemnity, humanity and narrative clarity. The three Magi arrive before the Virgin and Child after following the Star of Bethlehem.
The eldest king kneels, removes his crown and bends to kiss the Child's foot, while the other two wait behind with their gifts. Mary holds Jesus firmly and Saint Joseph stands nearby, forming a stable group against the movement of the visitors. The composition is organized around the encounter between the kneeling king and the Child. Giotto concentrates emotion in this physical gesture of devotion rather than in ceremonial display.
