The Adoration of the Magi and the Man of Sorrows

14th century
Fresco
St. Martin's Chapel, Old Cathedral, Salamanca

A false arch stands above the tomb of a bishop with a "tympanum" of the Adoration of the Magi and above it a smaller fresco of the Man of Sorrows (Imago Pietatis):


With its customary sarcophagus, the Man of Sorrows image may have been intended to function more as an echo of the tomb below than as an invitation to pious contemplation. Jesus' eyes are open, and the wounds he received on the Cross are not in evidence. There are no nail-marks in his hands, and instead of showing the gash in his side he wears a long-sleeved shirt. The only props are the gospel book in John's hand and the sarcophagus with its lid.


In the older style, the Magi are pictured as kings in (left to right) old, young, and middle age. Directly below the star, the old mage removes his crown and hands his gift to the Christ Child, who precociously stands on his mother's lap. Joseph is absent, but an angel balances out the composition.
View the entire arch and the Man of Sorrows image in full resolution.
Read more about the Man of Sorrows and the Adoration of the Magi.

Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.