Artwork
Anbetung der Könige
Anbetung der Könige is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Jacopo Amigoni. It dates from 1713 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Jacopo Amigoni’s *Anbetung der Könige* was painted in 1713 during the transition from the late Baroque to the Rococo.
Jacopo Amigoni’s *Anbetung der Könige* was painted in 1713 during the transition from the late Baroque to the Rococo. Executed in oil on canvas, the work now belongs to the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It presents a nocturnal tableau in which a group of figures gathers around a central female figure, illuminated by a focused light source that contrasts with the surrounding darkness.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman dressed in white, her arms uplifted in a gesture of reverence, suggesting a devotional act. She is surrounded by attendants, a kneeling man, and various onlookers, while a dog and a pig appear in the periphery, adding a domestic dimension. The scene evokes the adoration of the Christ Child, a common theme in religious art, interpreted here through a personal, intimate gathering.
Technique & Style
Amigoni employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, allowing the illuminated area around the woman to dominate the visual field. The drapery is rendered with fluid, Rococo‑type folds, and the palette shifts from deep shadows to warm highlights, creating a dramatic spatial depth. The brushwork combines the refined detail of late‑Baroque portraiture with the lighter, decorative sensibility characteristic of early Rococo.
History & Provenance
Born in Venice in 1682, Amigoni travelled extensively, working in England, Germany, and Austria before settling in Munich, where he received commissions from the Bavarian court. *Anbetung der Könige* entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the 19th century as part of the museum’s effort to assemble works by artists active in the German-speaking lands during the early 18th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo Amigoni (born Giacomo Amiconi; 1682 – September 1752), was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, who began his career in Venice, but traveled and was prolific throughout Europe, where his sumptuous portraits were…
