Adoration of the Magi (Velázquez)

The Adoration of the Magi is a 1619 Baroque painting by the Spanish artist Diego Velázquez now held in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. This work depicts the biblical scene of the three kings presenting gifts to the Christ Child. The painting also features the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph.

Completed when Velázquez was just twenty years old, the painting reflects his early skill in religious composition and naturalistic portraiture. Scholars believe it was likely commissioned by the Jesuit Novitiate of San Luis in Seville, a connection likely influenced by his mentor and father-in-law, Francisco Pacheco. Some historians, such as Julian Gallego, suggest that Velázquez used family members as models, including his wife for the Virgin Mary and himself for Gaspar. Debate also surrounds the painting's original dimensions. The size and format of the painting indicate that it was made for an altarpiece. However, a 1832 lithograph by Cayetano Palmaroli depicts a wider version of the composition, raising questions about whether the canvas was later trimmed.