Up until 1971, the painting belonged to the private collection of José Bardolet in Barcelona. In 1971, it was acquired by the prominent Spanish industrialist and art collector Andrés Colomer Munmany, who relocated it to his private collection. Following its time in the Colomer Munmany collection, the masterpiece was purchased by the Museo del Prado in Madrid in 1992 using funds from the Villaescusa Legacy. It has remained safely housed in the museum’s permanent national collection ever since.
The monumental masterpiece, ‘The Adoration of the Magi,’ was painted by Spanish Baroque painter Pedro Núñez del Valle. The artwork is an important testimony to the complex artistry of the creative process that occurred between Spain and Italy during the first half of the 17th century, and particularly the spread of Caravaggism to the court of Madrid. The traditional biblical story of the Epiphany has been transformed into a theatrical, dramatized play by Núñez del Valle. The baby Jesus is on Mary’s lap, guarded by Saint Joseph. The 3 Magi, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar, are represented each with their own special attributes and robes, which indicate their exotic and royal origins. In the background, there is a presence of a camel or dromedary, which represents the story’s Eastern location.
On the upper canvas, a pair of children’s angels are singing with open books of sheet music (partitur) in their hands. The Baroque synthesis of the visual and the musical arts is common, and the use of specific musical imagery is one such example. It is, therefore, a way of making the divine nature of the event implicit and praising the heavens. In style, it has the typical characteristics of the later Núñez del Valle's work. He studied in Rome and was admitted to the Academy of Saint Luke from 1613 to 1614, which greatly influenced his style. The vivid contrast of light and dark and the clear modelling of the figures are obvious signs of the naturalistic quality of this, a style which is typical of the Caravaggesque. This tenebrism is balanced, however, by a classical use of color and a sensitive use of the textures of sumptuous fabrics, typical of the classicism of Bologna and the royal tastes of the court of Madrid, under the influence of Vicente Carducho.
There is a rich history of Spanish ownership of this painting. It went through the hands of José Bardolet, from Barcelona (1971), and Andrés Colomer Munmany (1971-1992). This was an exception, since it was incorporated into the Museo del Prado in 1992, by donation of Manuel Villaescusa. Studies by the technical studies team of the Prado have provided significant information concerning Núñez del Valle’s material process. Analysis of the canvas preparation has shed new light on the use of typical 17th-century canvas preparation techniques in Madrid and has proved that the ground layers are rich in clay, which has affected the ageing of the pigments over the centuries.
This painting focusses on the baroque style of art. The artistic skillfully depicted the biblical scene of the birth of Jesus and the presence of three kings(Magi). Grand, awe-inspiring and sublimity are features of Baroque art and these are prevalent here. Jesus as a child is shown in the arms of Virgin Mary as Saint Joseph stands behind them. Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar are the aforementioned Magi or kings who provide expensive and significant gifts to Christ Child. The angels are seen at the top of the painting while the comet glimmers in the sky. This Spanish Baroque art pays homage to biblical scenes in its own way.
