Black People in European Sculpture

The Adoration of the Magi

Entry ID

48 (13/01/2022)

Formal title of the work

The Adoration of the Magi
The Adoration of the Magi (possibly from the wing of an altarpiece)

Description of the sculpture

Early sixteenth century relief from the region of Tyrol, probably formed part of a winged altarpiece, made from pinewood depicting the Virgin Mary, infant Jesus and Saint Joseph on the left. The three Magi are shown in the centre and right. Balthasar, depicted here as the African Magus, is on the far right holding his hat in his left hand and a drinking horn (damaged) in his right hand.

URLs where this is recorded/available

Type of object

Relief panel

Base

No base

Dimensions

Height: 58 cm
Width: 75 cm
Depth: 15 cm

Materials

Wood (unidentified)
Paint / pigment
Gold

Specific techniques used

Carving
Gilding
Polychromy

Overall colour

Polychrome

Does the Black person have a specific identity?

Identifiable: person from Bible/Christian saint

Identity of Black person (real or fictive)

Saint Balthasar

Attributes

Golden vessel

Role within sculpture

Key subsidiary role

Gender

Male

Age

Adolescent
Adult

Status

Royal

Clothing

Wearing clothes – European/Western clothing

Evidence of enslavement

None

Evidence of 'exotic' status

None

Action or activity

Standing

Emotional state

Neutral/emotionless

Focus of gaze of Black person

Looking upwards

Sculptural context

Domestic: Biblical/mythological

Place of production

Tyrol, Austria

Period of production

Sixteenth century (1500-1599)

Date of Production

c. 1515 - 1520

Date inferred from

Inferred from stylistic features

Price history

£8 (£632.48 in 2021) on 7 December 1872, Christie's Auction House London, England, U.K.

Original purpose

Devotional

Original display setting

Sacred: church

Current owner

Victoria and Albert Museum

Accession number

1307-1872

Provenance history

7 December 1872: bought by South Kensington Museum (now named Victoria and Albert Museum) at Christie's, London (lot 148) for £8. Said to be from a church in the Tyrol.