Painting with a mysterious past
The 15th century painting The Adoration of Magi is hung at Nostell Priory, near Wakefield, by House and Collections Manager Chris Blackburn and Conservation Assistant Claire Hughes.
The work has a mysterious past for many reasons. Very little is known about the artist and it has been heavily altered since its creation. It has been attributed to 'The Master of St Severin,' with no one knowing the real name of this artist. The painting was brought to Nostell, near Wakefield, by Charles Winn in 1851 and bought by the National Trust two years ago. Experts at the Hamilton Kerr Institute at Cambridge University discovered figures in the painting were altered in order to appeal to Charles Winn, an early example of a dealer making his wares more attractive for the market.
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.