The Adoration of the Magi [recto]

Creti employs a precise pen line to define the figures, while the brown wash adds tonal depth and a subtle atmospheric quality. The modeling of the bodies is marked by a cool, controlled rendering that aligns with his academic approach, foreshadowing the neoclassical restraint that would later characterize his oeuvre.

Created during the early eighteenth century, the drawing reflects Creti’s activity in Bologna, where he was known for large-scale religious and mythological paintings. Though originally a preparatory study for a larger work, the piece has survived as an independent example of his draftsmanship, passing through private collections before entering a museum holding of Italian Rococo drawings.