#JesuitMuseums: Loyola University Chicago

AJCU’s #JesuitMuseums series is back for the summer! Today’s post on Adoration of the Magi by Jacopo dal Ponte Bassano comes from the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) at Loyola University Chicago.

Jacopo dal Ponte Bassano, Adoration of the Magi, ca. 1565. Oil on marble. Gifts of the Friends of Father Donald Rowe, S.J., Martin D’Arcy, S.J. Collection, Loyola University Museum of Art.

This piece is one of two marble paintings by Jacopo dal Ponte Bassano on display at LUMA, the second being the Adoration of the Shepherds. In both pieces, the variegated Verona marble proves as a unique ‘canvas,’ as it holds its own against the bold and saturated colors that Bassano used to paint the scenes. Despite the prominent background in Adoration of the Magi, not one detail is lost: the crown on the ground, the print of the young magus’ vest, and the crook of a nose. The painted scene is situated in such a way that the marble appears as the sky above.

To learn more about LUMA’s collection please visit luc.edu/luma.