Adoration of the Magi
by BRAMANTINO, Oil on wood, 56,8 x 55 cm
The most individual characteristic of Bramantino’s style is the use of sombre classical architectural backgrounds, as in this Adoration of the Magi. He may have been influenced in spatial constructions by Mantegna and in colouring by Giovanni Bellini, but if so, these have been assimilated into Bramantino’s personal vision. The painting, whose small size and simple symmetrical composition suggest it was made for private devotion, offers the clarity and serenity typical of this artist.