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Pax with the Adoration of the Magi, c. 1500. Creator: Moderno (Italian, 1467-1528)
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Pax with the Adoration of the Magi, c. 1500. Creator: Moderno (Italian, 1467-1528)
Pax with the Adoration of the Magi, c. 1500. A pax is a small flat tablet decorated with Christian images and meant to be kissed by the priest before Communion. This plaquette likely had a tabernacle-shaped frame which has been cut away. Here the Madonna sits before a stable with a nude Christ Child seated on her right knee. A star with a long vertical ray radiates in the distance above the stable. Joseph stands on the right edge of the relief, while a nude child, likely a young John the Baptist, appears beside Joseph. The Three Kings approach the Holy Family with gifts, the first kneeling, his arms folded across his chest, while a kneeling male, nude except for a helmet, adjusts the sandal of the third king. A long procession follows the magi, continuing diagonally up the rocky hills in the background. This rocky landscape and crowded figures animate the surface, conveying the excitement and haste as visitors journey to see the newborn king. An inscription on the back of the plaquette reads " This has been given as a gift to Andrea Aiardo, Archbishop of Brundisi by Ioannes Baptista Fontanus, Goldsmith, in the year of our Lord 1583." Other versions of this plaquette exist in the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Louvre, the Staatliche Museum in Berlin, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Media ID 19629643
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the exquisite artwork of "Pax with the Adoration of the Magi" by Moderno, an Italian artist from the late 15th to early 16th century. The image depicts a small flat tablet known as a pax, adorned with Christian imagery intended for priests to kiss before Communion. Originally framed in a tabernacle shape, this plaquette has had its frame removed. At the center of the composition sits Madonna, holding the nude Christ Child on her knee while gazing upon a stable. Above them, a radiant star with a long vertical ray illuminates their presence. Joseph stands at one edge of the relief, accompanied by what appears to be John the Baptist as a young child beside him. Approaching from afar are Three Kings bearing gifts for the Holy Family. One king kneels reverently with folded arms across his chest, while another assists in adjusting his companion's sandal. A procession follows behind them, ascending rocky hills in haste and excitement to witness this newborn king. The intricate details and crowded figures bring life and energy to this piece. It conveys not only reverence but also anticipation as visitors journey towards this significant event. An inscription on its back reveals that it was gifted to Archbishop Andrea Aiardo of Brundisi by goldsmith Ioannes Baptista Fontanus in 1583. This remarkable artwork can also be found in other prestigious institutions such as The British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Louvre Museum, Staatliche Museum Berlin, and Metropolitan Museum of Art – each testament to its enduring beauty and historical significance.
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