The Adoration of the Magi
Peter Paul Rubens 1633
This huge painting was originally made as an altar piece for the chapel of the Convent of the White Nuns in Louvain, Belgium. After the closure of the convent and with the painting changing hands several times, it was sold at Sotheby’s in 1959 for a world-record sum of £250,000. Two years later the purchaser donated it to Kings College chapel, Cambridge. As alterations to the east end of the building were necessary to accommodate the painting, it wasn’t till 1968 that it was installed where it remains to this day.
The painting’s a busy one, with at least four figures in the background, presumably the Magi’s bodyguards, and that’s not counting the cherubs. However, the main-focus is the adoring attention of the five figures in the foreground – Mary, Joseph and the three wise men. They are not depicted with crowns but two with uncovered heads and one with a turban. Mary holds out her baby proudly and trustingly, as if to invite the honoured guests to kiss or cuddle the infant. Little did she realise that following their visit she would need to hold her little-one close and tight with the murderous treats of Herod constantly in her mind. The figure kneeling closest to the viewer is clad in a red robe exactly matching the colour of Mary’s dress. In iconography Mary is traditionally dressed in red, the symbol of humanity. with a cloak of blue, the symbol of divinity, symbolizing her being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The reds provide a pleasing pictorial harmony but also suggest a harmony between her and her special visitors. The depiction of the gifts is played down by Rubens in favour of the excitement and awe of the Magi having found at last the destination of their long and taxing journey. For me, there are two important themes in this familiar Christmas card scene:
First, the visit of these guys from the East reminds us that the coming of God to earth is for everyone — people of every nation and tongue. Epiphany is sometimes called ‘The Gentiles Christmas’. Second, both the groups of visitors to the new-born were men. Usually, things to do with birth — midwives, cooing-admirers and baby-showers — are a female preserve. The nativity stories are full of men – of humble and high status to boot. Medics tell us that when fathers spend quality time with their new-borns their hormones change, making them more-gentle-and-compassionate. Not a bad thing in today’s often aggressive society with an increase in domestic violence. Thank goodness for paternity leave?
David Hawkins Epiphany 2026
