Adoration of the Magi
Entry ID
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47 (13/01/2022)
Formal title of the work
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Adoration of the Magi
Description of the sculpture
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An Alabaster relief depicting the Adoration of the Magi that would have originally been a panel in a larger altarpiece. On the left side of the panel the Virgin Mary holds with infant Jesus with St Joseph asleep at her feet. The three Magi surround infant Jesus offering gifts. Balthasar, depicted here as the African Magus, holds a golden chalice in his left hand and points up to the stars with his right hand. The green background painted on the relief appears to be modern.
URLs where this is recorded/available
Type of object
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Relief panel
Base
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No base
Dimensions
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Height: 41.5 cm
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Width: 25.8 cm
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Depth: ? cm
Materials
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Alabaster
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Paint / pigment
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Gold
Specific techniques used
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Carving
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Gilding
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Polychromy
Overall colour
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Polychrome
Does the Black person have a specific identity?
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Identifiable: person from Bible/Christian saint
Identity of Black person (real or fictive)
Attributes
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Crown
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Golden vessel
Role within sculpture
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Key subsidiary role
Gender
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Male
Age
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Adult
Status
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Royal
Clothing
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Wearing clothes – European/Western clothing
Evidence of enslavement
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None
Evidence of 'exotic' status
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None
Action or activity
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Pointing
Emotional state
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Neutral/emotionless
Focus of gaze of Black person
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Looking upwards
Sculptural context
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Domestic: Biblical/mythological
Place of production
Period of production
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Fifteenth century (1400-1499)
Date of Production
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c. 1450 - 1499
Date inferred from
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Inferred from stylistic features
Original purpose
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Devotional
Original display setting
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Sacred: cathedral
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Sacred: church
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Sacred: convent/monastery
Current owner
Current / most recently known location
Accession number
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A.39-1946
Provenance history
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1946: given to Victoria and Albert Museum by Dr W. L. Hildburgh
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1922: loaned to Victoria and Albert Museum by Dr W. L. Hildburgh. Acquired by Dr Hildburgh in Spain, from the province of Soria
Current rights holder
License terms for reuse
‘Adoration of the Magi’ (no date), Black People in European Sculpture, accessed May 5, 2025, http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/436
