Artwork
Annunciation and Three Kings of the Epiphany
Annunciation and Three Kings of the Epiphany is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Master of Baltimore. It dates from 1347 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1347, this panel by the anonymous Master of Baltimore presents a dual‑scene composition. The upper register shows an angelic encounter with a woman in a blue robe trimmed with red, set within an interior space. Below, a gathering of figures in varied robes surrounds a building, evoking the biblical episode of the Magi’s adoration.
Subject & Meaning
The work combines two moments from the Nativity narrative: the Annunciation, when the angel announces the forthcoming birth, and the Epiphany, when the three Wise Men present gifts to the infant Christ. By juxtaposing these events, the painter underscores the theological link between Christ’s incarnation and his recognition by the wider world.
Technique & Style
The panel employs a vivid palette of red, blue and gold, applied in layered tempera to suggest depth and texture. Linear arrangements guide the eye across the composition, while the contrasting hues generate a dynamic visual rhythm that animates the figures and architectural elements.
History & Provenance
The painting has been part of the collection at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya since its acquisition, where it is displayed as a representative example of mid‑fourteenth‑century Iberian religious art. Its attribution to the Master of Baltimore derives from stylistic analysis linking it to other works of the same hand.
Context
Produced during a period of heightened devotional imagery in the Crown of Aragon, the piece reflects contemporary liturgical interests in the dual themes of divine announcement and universal homage. Its iconography aligns with the liturgical calendar, serving both as a visual aid for worship and as a didactic tool for the faithful.
Artist & collection
Artist
This unknown Catalan artist painted religious scenes in the mid-1300s, full of gold-leaf halos and deep reds.
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