The Journey of the Magi

Working in tempera and gold on wood, Sassetta painted this enchanting panel around 1435, showing the Three Magi traveling to Bethlehem following the star. The procession winds through a fantastical landscape with rocky hills and distant castles. Gold leaf backgrounds and elegant figures exemplify the International Gothic style lingering in Siena.

This small panel (21.6 × 29.8 cm) was part of a larger altarpiece. Sassetta's delicate technique and early Renaissance charm make his works treasured today. Now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.