The Adoration of the Magi

Hugo van der Goes' Adoration of the Magi from around 1470 is a magnificent altarpiece panel by one of the greatest and most troubled painters of the 15th-century Netherlands. Van der Goes brought an unprecedented emotional intensity and psychological complexity to traditional religious subjects. His art influenced painters across Europe, and the Portinari Altarpiece he sent to Florence transformed Italian painting. This Epiphany scene demonstrates his gift for combining grandeur with intimate human observation.

Van der Goes' oil-on-wood technique achieves extraordinary luminosity through layered glazes, with the rich colors of the Magi's robes and the subtle flesh modeling demonstrating his supreme command of the oil medium. The complex spatial composition and varied expressions reveal his unmatched ability to orchestrate multi-figure scenes.