Image

Previous 1 2 / 2 Next

Netherlandish

The Adoration of the Magi, ca. 1510

Now On View

Description

Maker

Culture

Netherlandish

Title

The Adoration of the Magi

Year

ca. 1510

Medium

Oil on wood panel

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Supports

Dimensions

52.1 x 34.6 cm (20 1/2 x 13 5/8 inches)

Type

Credit

Gift of Manton B. Metcalf

Object Number

21.482

About

This small panel, intended to be viewed in a private chapel or domestic setting, depicts one of the most popular subjects for paintings made in Antwerp in the early 16th century: the three Magi presenting their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Christ. Behind them an expansive landscape intimates their long journey. By 1510 many Antwerp painters specialized in the subject of the Magi, which was popular with the new, wealthy merchant class of the city for its emphasis on travel and rare and exotic goods. The artist highlights his skill at depicting luxurious fabrics (a prime commodity in the Antwerp market) and fantastic architectural forms. This and other panels like it signified a new direction for art making, the production of art on speculation rather than commission.

[]

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

European Galleries

This small panel was intended to be viewed in a private chapel or domestic setting. In it, the infant Jesus and his mother receive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh from the three wise men as Joseph stands in the background. The artist skillfully depicted textiles that were traded and produced in Antwerp in the early 1500s. The story of the Magi was of particular interest to the merchant class, whose increasing wealth was tied to treasures from distant lands.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is The Adoration of the Magi with the accession number of 21.482. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.