The Adoration of the Magi
Jan Jansz Mostaert
c. 1520 - c. 1525
This painting ‘zooms in’ on the adoration of the magi to such an extent that, as a spectator, you feel almost present at the birth. The kings bring gifts for baby Jesus, who is not in a lowly stable, but in the ruins of a palace - that of King David, where, according to legend, Jesus was born many centuries later.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam · Image: Rijksmuseum, Public domain · Text: Rijksmuseum, CC0