Francisco Rizi's Circle

From the circle of FRANCISCO RIZI (Madrid, 1614 – San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, 1685).
“Adoration of the Magi.”
Oil on canvas.
Measurements: 62.5 x 80.5 cm; 61 x 90 cm (frame).
This Adoration of the Magi stands out for its compositional dynamism, narrative richness, and theatrical flair characteristic of 17th-century Madrid Baroque. The scene is organized along a pronounced diagonal that connects the figures in the foreground and draws the viewer’s gaze toward the Infant Jesus, the true spiritual center of the depiction. This technique, clearly inspired by Rubens, breaks with the static and symmetrical arrangement of traditional compositions and imbues the scene with great visual intensity.
The composition finds an interesting parallel in the various versions of the Adoration of the Magi painted by Francisco Rizi. Among these, the version preserved in Toledo Cathedral, dated 1646, stands out as one of the artist’s first major interpretations of the subject, in which Rubens’s influence is already evident in the dynamic arrangement of the figures and the intensity of the colors. Also significant is the *Epiphany* from around 1663, held on loan at the University of Barcelona, as well as another version belonging to the collections of the Prado Museum. These works allow us to situate our painting within the dissemination of the compositional models developed by Rizi for the depiction of this Gospel episode. The term “Francisco Rizi circle” is particularly apt for contextualizing this painting within the output of his workshop and the artists who worked under his influence. Rizi was one of the most prolific painters at the courts of Philip IV and Charles II, and his religious compositions achieved widespread circulation thanks to his collaborators and disciples. This context explains the continuity of his models and the presence of works by artists associated with him.
Francisco Rizi, son of the Italian painter Antonio Ricci—whose surname was Spanishized to Rizi—trained in the workshop of Vicente Carducho, whose initial influence evolved into a more dynamic and colorful style, inspired by Rubens and Italian Baroque painting. Associated with the court since 1639, he was appointed painter to the king in 1656 and worked for major religious institutions, particularly the Cathedral of Toledo. He also distinguished himself as a set designer and decorator, participating in projects at the Buen Retiro Palace and the Alcázar of Madrid. He was the teacher of prominent painters such as Claudio Coello, José Antolínez, and Juan Antonio Escalante. His works are preserved in institutions such as the Prado Museum, the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts, and the A Coruña Museum of Fine Arts, all of which showcase the same compositional and expressive qualities.