The Adoration of the Magi

The artist's nickname comes from his birthplace, Vicenza near Venice. Following the example of Late Renaissance Venetian masters such as Tintoretto and Veronese, Vicentino sketched some compositions directly in oil, with apparent ease. During the 16th century, this particular talent, called sprezzatura, was praised as the expression of true artistic genius. Here, the monochrome technique perfectly conveys the candlelit nocturnal scene.