The Adoration of the Magi 1654 - 1727

Editor: Here we have Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari's "The Adoration of the Magi," likely created between 1654 and 1727. It’s a drawing, maybe coloured pencil or a print… it has a sepia tone that feels very classical. What stands out to you the most in this piece? Curator: The warmth, I think. That reddish-brown ink washes over the whole scene, creating a surprisingly intimate mood. This wasn’t intended as a finished piece, more of a study, really, a moment to work out the composition for a larger painting. Do you notice how active the lines are? Almost vibrating with energy? Editor: Yes, there’s so much movement! Everyone seems to be gesturing or bowing. But, it’s also a bit…static? Curator: Exactly! It’s a fascinating tension, isn't it? Chiari is playing with the established visual language of the Baroque—all that dramatic flair and emotion—but he's also pulling back, simplifying. Think about it like jazz: he’s riffing on a familiar theme, adding his own flourishes but staying true to the underlying melody. Editor: So, it’s a drawing that's trying to be a painting but isn't quite one, and that's where the energy comes from? Curator: Precisely! And that’s the beautiful thing about drawings like this. They capture the artist’s thought process, the spark of creation itself. We are witnessing a mind in motion, experimenting, daring us to imagine the full spectacle it might become. Editor: That’s such a great way to put it. It's like looking at a blueprint of a masterpiece. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It’s pieces like this that remind me art is never truly finished, but endlessly evolving.