Lorenzo Maitani and Associates, The Adoration of the Magi

Circa 1310-31
Stone Relief
West façade, Orvieto Cathedral, Italy

The Magi are portrayed as kings and as representatives of the three ages of Man. The eldest of them turns to the youngest and points out the star. The other one kneels to the child, holding his crown on his arm. As usual Mary wears a veil on her head and sits (but not on a throne) with the child on her lap. He holds the gift of the middle-aged mage. The drawing back of the curtain behind her is also a motif in the nearby reliefs.

It is hard to tell whether the creature behind the youngest mage is a badly drawn horse or a badly drawn camel.

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Photographed at the cathedral by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.