LEONARDO da Vinci: Adoration of the Magi

Begun in the 1480s, this revolutionary composition abandons the calm, orderly arrangements of earlier Adoration scenes in favor of a swirling vortex of humanity—horses rear, figures gesture wildly, and onlookers crane their necks in wonder. The work's very incompleteness reveals Leonardo's innovative working process, showcasing his dynamic underdrawings and the artist's endless pursuit of perfection in capturing human emotion and dramatic narrative.