Artwork
The Adoration of the Kings
The Adoration of the Kings is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jacques Daret. It dates from 1430 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The panel depicts the biblical scene of the Adoration of the Magi, showing the Christ Child seated on the Virgin Mary’s lap as the three Magi, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, present gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Kneeling before the Child, each king wears distinctive regalia and crowns, underscoring their roles as representatives of the gentile world offering homage to Christ. The oak support and oil medium situate the work within Early Netherlandish devotional practices, emphasizing both narrative clarity and symbolic richness in fifteenth-century religious art.
Technique & Style
Created by Jacques Daret around 1430, this Early Netherlandish painting is executed in oil paint on an oak panel.
Created by Jacques Daret around 1430, this Early Netherlandish painting is executed in oil paint on an oak panel. The work serves as a panel from the Arras Altarpiece and measures 57 cm in height by 52 cm in width. As a religious composition, it depicts the biblical scene of the Adoration of the Magi, featuring the Christ Child, Mary, and the Three Kings: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar. The piece is currently held within the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, having originated from the Solly Collection.
History & Provenance
Created around 1430, this oil painting on oak panel by Jacques Daret originally functioned as part of the Arras Altarpiece. The work measures 57 by 52 centimeters and depicts the biblical Adoration of the Magi. By the nineteenth century, the panel entered the collection of Edward Solly.
It was subsequently acquired as part of the Solly Collection and is currently held by the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
The Adoration of the Kings by Jacques Daret is currently held in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, where it forms part of the Solly Collection. The work, identified as a panel from the Arras Altarpiece, is an oil painting on oak panel measuring 57 cm in height and 52 cm in width. Historically, the piece was owned by Edward Solly before entering the museum's holdings.
The painting dates to the early 1430s, with creation years cited as 1430 and 1434. As a significant example of Early Netherlandish painting, it depicts the biblical scene of the Adoration of the Magi, featuring the Christ Child, Mary, and the three kings Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar.
Legacy
The Adoration of the Kings, painted by Jacques Daret around 1430, contributed to the development of Early Netherlandish religious imagery, particularly in its portrayal of the Magi's adoration. Its composition and naturalistic detail influenced later artists in the Low Countries, helping shape devotional practices in the region. The work remains part of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin's collection, reflecting its enduring significance in art historical narratives.
Overview
Jacques Daret’s early fifteenth‑century panel, titled The Adoration of the Kings, presents a quiet, intimate moment of the biblical Magi offering their gifts to the infant Jesus. The composition centers on a seated woman cradling the child, surrounded by three richly dressed figures, each bearing a golden tribute, set against a modest wooden structure and a muted landscape.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacques Daret (c. 1404 – c. 1470) was an Early Netherlandish painter born in Tournai (Doornik; now in Belgium), where he would spend much of his life. Daret spent 15 years as a pupil in the studio of Robert Campin,…
