Artwork
Adoration of the Kings
Adoration of the Kings is an oil painting. It dates from 1494 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the Christ Child receiving gold, frankincense, and myrrh, symbolizing kingship, divinity, and sacrificial death.
The painting depicts the Adoration of the Kings, a New Testament scene in which the Christ Child is presented with gifts by the three Magi, traditionally named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, while the Virgin Mary holds the infant. The composition centers on the Christ Child receiving gold, frankincense, and myrrh, symbolizing kingship, divinity, and sacrificial death. The surrounding figures, including an elderly Joseph and attendants, frame the central act of homage, underscoring the recognition of Jesus as both human ruler and divine savior.
Technique & Style
The Adoration of the Kings is executed in oil paint on a pine panel support, characteristic of the Upper Rhenish tradition. The work measures 123 cm in height and 117 cm in width. As a religious painting depicting the adoration of the Magi, the piece utilizes the oil medium to render the figures of the Christ Child, Mary, and the three kings, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, along with their gifts.
The formal composition centers on the biblical narrative within a vertical format, consistent with devotional panel paintings of the late fifteenth century.
History & Provenance
Dated to 1494, this oil painting on a pine panel is attributed to an artist from the Upper Rhine region. The work depicts the biblical scene of the Adoration of the Magi, featuring the Christ Child, the Virgin Mary, and the three kings Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar presenting their gifts. Measuring 123 cm in height and 117 cm in width, the piece entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is currently housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Adoration of the Kings, portrays a nocturnal scene within a humble stable. The composition centers on a woman cradling an infant, surrounded by three distinguished figures. Above them, a luminous, swirling sky with an angelic presence casts light upon the gathering. The artwork captures a moment of reverence and contrast between the sacred and the earthly.
Artist & collection
