STEPHEN COHEN: The Black Magus

STEPHEN COHEN: The Black Magus

Many years ago, I noticed that in many Renaissance paintings of the three Magi adoring Christ, one of the Magi (Magus is the singular) was depicted as a Black man. In earlier depictions, all three of the Magi were white. I figured this was perhaps because Florence and Northern Europe were encountering more Black Africans due to the importation of slaves and a growing free Black population. I also thought it was a reference to Africa, which was t…