The Adoration of the Magi, 1649
Etchingexpand_more
Gift of James A. Bergquist, Boston, in honor of Rachel McGarryexpand_more 2019.107.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Carlo Sacchi was a prolific painter, working mostly in Pavia, a town just south of Milan. He also tried his hand at printmaking. This image, based on a painting by the great Venetian artist Paolo Veronese, may be his first effort as an etcher. Veronese completed his painting in 1573 as a commission for the Venetian parish church of San Silvestro. The painting was still there when Sacchi studied it, but in the 19th century, the church sold the painting to a dealer who in turn sold it to the National Gallery, London, where it remains today.
The Adoration of the Magi is skillfully drawn, but the copper plate was lightly bitten, producing a low-contrast image. Sacchi amplified the delicacy of the image by using a burnishing tool to create the heavenly ray of light beaming down on the scene. The print is dedicated to Giovanni Donato Correggio, a Venetian merchant and significant art patron.
Details
- Title
- The Adoration of the Magi
- Artist Life
- (Venice), 1487 - 1553
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2019.107.2
- Provenance
- (James Bergquist, Newton Center, Mass.).
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.