The Adoration of the Magi

In 1563 Federico Zuccaro was called to Venice to complete the decoration of the Grimani Chapel in San Francesco della Vigna as well as that of the family’s palace. His sojourn was a rare but influential case of the penetration of advanced Central Italian style into Venetian art. Significant despite its damage, this drawing corresponds to the fresco that serves as chapel’s altarpiece. Like many of Federico’s seemingly preparatory studies, it is probably an autograph replica, intended for collectors who were coming to appreciate drawings that reflect the creative process and graphic personality.