ANDREA DEL SARTO
(b. 1486, Firenze, d. 1530, Firenze)

Journey of the Magi

1511
Fresco, 360 x 305 cm
Santissima Annunziata, Florence

Andrea del Sarto's impressively fluent and richly lyrical style is manifested first in his series of five mural paintings depicting scenes from the story of the spiritual founder of the Servite Order, Filippo Benizzi. They were created for the atrium of the important pilgrimage church of Santissima Annunziata in Florence from 1509 onwards. They were followed by two more frescoes with biblical subjects on the opposite side of the space, the last of which, the Birth of the Virgin is dated 1514.

The Journey of the Magi represents an almost unprecedented subject showing the three Magi arriving in train at Herod's palace displaying portraits of contemporaries.