Artwork
Adoration of the Kings
Adoration of the Kings is a print by Jacques-Philippe Le Bas. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Jacques-Philippe Le Bas produced an engraved print in 1750 that reproduces a composition originally painted by Paolo Veronese. Executed on paper, the work illustrates the biblical episode of the Magi’s homage, rendered in a densely populated tableau that emphasizes the central figures of a kneeling woman and infant.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays the Virgin Mary holding the newborn Christ, surrounded by three regal visitors, one on horseback, one standing, and one kneeling, who present gifts. Additional figures attend to animals and observe the ceremony, underscoring the narrative of universal acknowledgment of the infant’s significance.
Technique & Style
Le Bas employed the chiaroscuro engraving method, using strong contrasts of light and dark to model forms and create depth. The dark, shadowed background isolates the illuminated figures, while fine line work conveys texture in clothing, armor, and animal fur, reflecting the baroque dynamism of Veronese’s original.
History & Provenance
The print was issued in 1750 as part of Le Bas’s series of reproductions after celebrated Italian masters. By translating Veronese’s composition into an accessible medium, the work circulated widely among collectors and connoisseurs of the mid‑eighteenth‑century French market.
Context
During the Enlightenment, reproductions of renowned paintings served educational and decorative purposes. Le Bas’s rendition aligns with the period’s interest in disseminating canonical religious imagery beyond the confines of churches and aristocratic galleries.
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