Sketch for Adoration of the Kings 17th century

This 17th-century sketch by an anonymous artist depicts the biblical story of the Adoration of the Magi. The sketch is a preliminary study for a larger painting. Executed in brown ink and wash on paper, the drawing shows a gestural, loose style common to preparatory sketches, and the figures are only lightly defined. The composition features the three Magi, two on horseback and one kneeling before the infant Jesus. Currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the "Sketch for Adoration of the Kings" provides a glimpse into the creative process of an unknown artist.