''The Adoration of the Magi'' is a circa 1480–1485

oil on panel A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel of wood, either a single piece or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, panel painting was the normal method, when not paint ...

painting of the

Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, ...

by the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

artist

Geertgen tot Sint Jans Geertgen tot Sint Jans (c. 1465 – c. 1495), also known as Geertgen van Haarlem, Gerrit van Haarlem, Gerrit Gerritsz, Gheertgen, Geerrit, Gheerrit, or any other diminutive form of Gerald, was an Early Netherlandish painter from the northern Lo ...

in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

Painting

''The Adoration of the Magi'' shows the three magi bearing gifts.

King Melchior Saint Melchior, or Melichior, was purportedly one of the Biblical Magi along with Caspar and Balthazar who visited the infant Jesus after he was born. Melchior was often referred to as the oldest member of the Magi. He was traditionally called ...

is shown kneeling before

Child Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

and offering his gift of gold coins. His removed crown lies at his feet. Behind him King Caspar, with his crown dangling behind his head, takes his gift of frankincense from an assistant in readiness to present it. On the left King Balthasar, portrayed as a dark-skinned king, still wears his crown and holds an orb of myrrh. In the background the retinue of each of the three magi can be seen above their heads. The magi are thus shown twice, once in the foreground and again in miniature in the background, arriving with their retinue from Africa, Europe and Asia. An x-ray examination of the underdrawing shows that originally the European retinue of Melchior had him riding a horse and this was later changed to a dromedary. This is surprising, because early camels in 'Three Kings' paintings tend to represent the retinue of Balthasar, who was said to have come from Ethiopia (often meant to symbolize the rest of Africa).

Provenance

This painting is one of three paintings of the Adoration of the Magi by Geertgen that have been attributed to him based on stylistic similarities.''Geertgen was hier: meesterschilder, lekenbroeder en inspirator''’, exhibition catalog Geertgen tot Sint-Jans in De Vishal and Janskerk (18 September - 13 October), Haarlem, 2009 The provenance of this painting only goes back to its purchase in 1904. Together with the other two versions, it is based on work by

Hugo van der Goes Hugo van der Goes (c. 1430/1440 – 1482) was one of the most significant and original Early Netherlandish painting, Flemish painters of the late 15th century. Van der Goes was an important painter of altarpieces as well as portraits. He introduce ...

in Berlin.Catalog entry
in museum website File:Geertgen aanbidding door de koningen cleveland.jpg, ''The Adoration of the Kings'', Cleveland File:Hugo van der Goes (Gand, 1440 circa – Auderghem, 1482) Altare Monforte - Adorazione dei Magi (1470 circa) - Tecnica olio su tavola Dimensioni 147×242 cm - Gemäldegalerie, Berlin.jpg, ''The Adoration of the Kings'' by Goes (Monforte Altar, Berlin) File:Geertgen tot Sint Jans Adoration of the Magi.jpg, ''The Adoration of the Kings'', Prague

References

External links

SK-A-2150
painting record on museum website {{DEFAULTSORT:Adoration Of The Magi (Geertgen tot Sint Jans) 15th-century paintings Paintings in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Paintings by Geertgen tot Sint Jans Paintings of the Madonna and Child