Artwork
Triptych with the Epiphany
Triptych with the Epiphany is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Jan van Dornicke. It is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition features the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child as the focal point, surrounded by the three Biblical Magi: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar.
The work depicts the Adoration of the Magi, a central event in the Christian narrative of the Epiphany. The composition features the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child as the focal point, surrounded by the three Biblical Magi: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar. These figures are shown presenting gifts to the infant Jesus, an act that symbolizes the recognition of Christ's divinity by representatives of the Gentile world.
As a piece of religious art, the triptych serves to visualize this moment of revelation and homage, emphasizing the theological significance of the Magi's journey and their offering of gifts.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1540, this religious triptych is an oil painting created on a panel support. The work depicts the Adoration of the Magi, featuring the Christ Child, the Virgin Mary, and the three biblical kings, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, presenting their gifts. As a piece classified within the genre of religious art, the composition focuses on this specific biblical narrative. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
History & Provenance
The Triptych with the Epiphany was created circa 1540 by the Flemish painter Jan van Dornicke. Executed in oil on panel, the work depicts the adoration of the Magi, showing the Christ Child with Mary and the three kings, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, presenting gifts. It was later acquired by the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, where it remains part of the collection. The piece was originally painted as a religious altarpiece, reflecting the devotional practices of the period.
The Triptych with the Epiphany is held at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, where it is cataloged under inventory number MPB0016940451. The work was created by Jan van Dornicke around 1540 as an oil painting on panel depicting the adoration of the Magi, featuring the Christ Child, Mary, and the Magi Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar presenting gifts. It has been part of the museum's collection since its acquisition and was included in the institution's permanent religious art exhibition following its integration into the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in 1992.
Overview
Jan van Dornicke, a South Netherlandish painter active in the early sixteenth century, completed the oil‑on‑panel work Triptych with the Epiphany in 1540. The three‑panel composition is framed in gilded wood and is presently housed in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Its subject is the biblical episode of the Magi’s adoration of the infant Jesus.
Context
The Epiphany theme was a popular subject for devotional art in the Low Countries, allowing patrons to display both piety and wealth. Van Dornicke’s treatment reflects the transitional period between late Gothic traditions and the emerging Renaissance sensibility in the region, combining narrative clarity with ornamental richness.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van Dornicke was a South Netherlandish painter who was born in Doornik (nowadays also known as Tournai) in about 1470 and died about 1527.
