Artwork
Star of Kings, A Night Piece
Star of Kings, A Night Piece is a print by the Baroque artist Jan Jansz van de Velde. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2003.45
- Credit line
- Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland
About this work
Overview
Star of Kings, A Night Piece is a print depicting a festive procession on a winter's night in a Dutch town.
Subject & Meaning
The scene represents the Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, a holiday commemorating the journey of the three Magi to the Christ child, guided by the Star of Bethlehem. In the 17th-century Netherlands, this event was reenacted by townspeople in candlelit processions.
Technique & Style
The print employs chiaroscuro, a technique characterized by strong contrasts between light and dark, to capture the warm glow of torches and the star amidst the dark winter night.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Jansz van de Velde (1620–1662) was a Dutch artist, born in Haarlem.
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