Adoration of Magi - Epiphany

 Salvete Omnes,

Happy Epiphany - Magi have arrived - enjoy your feast if you celebrate

Venetian painter Jacopo Bassano (1515-1592) and his splendid 'Adorations' 

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more detailed look of the robe worn by the King in proskinesis 

. the horse heads from these three paintings

curb-bit on the bay horse, and details of the bridle and reins of the grey horse

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enjoy

Valete 

Adoration of Magi - Art Institute of Chicago

 Salvete Omnes,

continuing on the subject of the Epiphany and Adoration of  Magi in the pre-modern arts, a tondo by Raffaelo Botticini (1474-died after1520) from the Art Institute of Chicago. 

this tempera was painted circa 1495 and reflects equestrianism of the Florentine, Tuscany, and northern Italy styles and preferences for horses and tack. 
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enjoy

Valete

Romanesque Magi on the way to Adoration

 Salvete Omnes,

several more days to the Feast of Epiphany, so more chances to explore the Magi in pre-modern art with equestrian themes.

French church- Saint-Barthelemy de Fleury la Montagne contains the XIII century tower with a Romanesque tympanum showing the Three Kings and Holy Family.

and some more Romanesque Magi from French churches 

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and a beautiful iron work on the door from the Velelay Abbey

Valete

A little more of XV century Epiphany

 Salvete Omnes,

since this is the Epiphany weekend, so   let us enjoy  it as it lasts, with snow and wind around and around, and more medieval imagery.

In this post-   the Northern Renaissance master Hans Pleydenwurff painted this  Three Kings altar   for the Saint Lawrence church in Nuremberg.

The altar's central panel is the most interesting per this blog's equestrian theme. We have a cornucopia of horse tack, saddles and riding equipment - very interesting for further study. 

enjoy

valete

Happy Epiphany

 Salvete Omnes,

Journey of the Magi and Adoration - from Eadwine Psalter -  XII century, Canterbury, England 

the Christmas season 2023-4 is about to end this weekend, with the feast of Epiphany being its culmination in our Roman Catholic tradition & rite - enjoy the holiday weekend. 

Adoration of Magi by Vrelant, there is  a rondel dagger at the belt of the youngest Magi

and from Martin Schongauer's atelier comes this panel - Adoration of Magi 

spurs of two types, and a interesting bridle on a grey horse 

the image in the first banner looks a lot like a Polish coat of arms Gliszczynski IV - a variant of Leliwa coat of arms
Valete

Hugo van der Goes - Nativity with the Magi

 Salvete Omnes,

so today we celebrate the feast of  Epiphany - and with that we can take a look at the splendid world of the XV century Christina Europe, and ... yes, yes the horses too. 

Monforte Altarpiece - a Northern Renaissance masterpiece by Hugo van der Goes

Maestro Hugo was very skilled in his trade, and his horses are of the finest sort painted during that great XV century anywhere in Europe -the riders and pages sport the high  fashion of the day, while our attention is drawn to a splendid gray warhorse led by a page.

 

spurs - splendid examples of rowel spurs of this period

enjoy your gifts if any given or just enjoy your day and the coming weekend

Valete

Master of the Llangattock Epiphany

 Salvete Omnes,

again today, Epiphany and some more of the fabulous European  medieval art - this time a medieval illumination -

Maître de l'épiphanie de Llangattock
/Master of the Llangattock Epiphany -  an anonymous Burgundian artist   active circa 1450-60s, plying his trade and art  in and araound Bruges.

Getty museum in L.A., Califronia, has a page from the larger manuscript, which is attributed to the Master of this Epiphany - you can obtain a very large scan of this page and illumination from the museum. Apart from the religious aspects of the Adoration of Christ and His Mother, we can enjoy the details of the XV century horsetack, including bridles, saddles, and gilded spurs, while the master illuminator provided some detail for the donkey? or a horse stabled in the stable, and also the  brown ox, where the Holy Family had found shelter.

Nota bene, the flock of birds  in the sky adds realism to this Northern Gothic piece.

Valete

Collégiale Saint-Thiébaut, Thann France and the Magi in stone

 Salvete Omnes,

happy Epiphany - 

and ad rem,
St Theobald's Church in Thann  

from this amazing church in north-eastern France comes the Magi scene that I am going to bring to your attention, and this  is a  medieval 'bande dessinee' or sculptural graphic novel - that can be found within the main tympanum of the church , whereas the entire tympanum is themed on and devoted to the Life of Saint-Mary.

note that, Three King Caspar, Melchior and  Balthazar  are shown, and Balthazar is already an African or at least a Moor in this sculptural masterpiece.

Below, another late  medieval representation of the Kings - by Hans Memling

and a beautiful Murillo - :)

Valete