The Adoration of the Magi

Colijn de Coter painted this Adoration of the Magi around 1500 in Brussels, where he was an important painter carrying forward the traditions of Rogier van der Weyden. The Epiphany subject, showing the three kings presenting gifts to the infant Christ, was one of the most magnificent scenes in the Christian narrative cycle. The oil medium allowed for rich tonal transitions and glazed layers of color that created luminous depth impossible with the older tempera technique. Such devotional panels served both liturgical contexts in churches and chapels and private devotional use in the homes of wealthy families who maintained personal altars and oratories.

Oil on panel with rich coloring and detailed rendering of the kings' sumptuous costumes and gifts. The Brussels workshop tradition of precise technique and formal composition is evident in the balanced arrangement.