1495
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Adoration of the Magi is a 1495 ink by Israhel van Meckenem, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a group of five men gathered around a woman holding a baby. The woman sits on a rocky ledge, dressed simply with a veil. The men wear different clothes—one looks like a king with a crown, another like a monk, and a third like a soldier. Behind them, a crumbling wall frames a distant crowd and a castle on a hill. Notice how the artist uses fine lines to create shadows and textures, like the folds in the robes or the rough stones. The baby reaches toward the monk, who holds a staff and looks down at him. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1445 – 10 November 1503), also known as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, was a German printmaker and goldsmith, perhaps of a Dutch family origin. He was the most prolific engraver of the…
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