Why it matters
Commissioned by monks near Florence in 1481, this Adoration was abandoned when Leonardo left for Milan a year later, leaving only an underdrawing. The swirling crowd around the Virgin and Child, with ruins and fighting horsemen behind, shows his ideas taking shape.
Did you know?
- It is painted in charcoal, ink and watercolour.
- A figure on the far right may be a self-portrait of the young Leonardo.
- It has been in the Uffizi since 1670.
Based on the Wikipedia article Adoration of the Magi (Leonardo) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
