Procession of the Magic. 1450–1500 · Study 1916.790

Context from the museum

This work was not originally hung on a wall or displayed as part of an altarpiece. It is believed to have formed a panel on a cassone, a storage chest for clothing. This panel may have been part of a travel chest, which was usually less lavish than those meant to be used in the home. The subject, the Procession of the Magi, was commonly used for travel chests.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Procession of the Magi is 53.8 cm wide and 47.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 21.2 × 18.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.13:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.26 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 17.9% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 123.1 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Procession of the Magi in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, tempera on wood, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 53.8 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?