Thursday, October 24, 2019

Adoration of the Magi (Gothic boxwood altarpiece)

Theramin: new article


[[File:Adoration of the Magi, Triptych, Flemish.jpg|thumb|''Adoration of the Magi'', [[Wallace Collection]] ]]

The '''''Adoration of the Magi''''' [[altarpiece]] is a small [[Gothic boxwood miniature]], made in [[the Netherlands]] c.1500-1530 by the workshop of [[Adam Dircksz]] (also known as Adam Theodrici). It is held by [[Wallace Collection]], which describes it as "one of the most important works from the mysterious workshop of Adam Dircksz".

The object is made from intricately carved [[boxwood]], and measures . It has four main elements, each elaborately decorated in Gothic style. The main body (''corpus'') has two doors that open to reveal three [[New Testament]] scenes, creating a [[triptych]] sculpture: a central depiction of the [[Adoration of the Magi]]; the [[Nativity of Jesus]] on the left wing, with the [[Annunciation to the Shepherds]] in the background; and a scene combining the [[Presentation of Jesus at the Temple]], the [[Flight into Egypt]], and the [[Massacre of the Innocents]] on the right wing. With the doors are closed, the exterior surfaces of the ''corpus'' are decorated with [[Old Testament]] scenes: the main body shows [[Abraham]] and the Angels, with the [[drunkenness of Noah]] and the building of the [[Noah's Ark]] on the left wing, and [[Jacob's Ladder|Jacob's dream]] on the right wing.

The ''corpus'' is surmounted by a spire with foliate decoration on four levels, and it is supported by a column decorated with more Old Testament scenes: the [[Temptation of Adam]], the [[Expulsion from the Garden of Eden]], [[Adam Digging]] and [[Eve Spinning]], and [[Cain and Abel]]. The column stands on a base decorated with scenes from [[Genesis]], showing the [[creation of the animals]], the [[Genesis creation narrative# Genesis 2:4–2:25|creation of Adam]], and the [[Genesis creation narrative# Genesis 2:4–2:25|creation of Eve]].

The altarpiece bears a number of Latin inscriptions, quoting or inspired by passages in the Bible.
At the front of the base, below the creation of Adam, is the inscription: "FACIA[MVS] ٠ HO[M]I[N]E(M) ٠ AD ٠ [IMA]GINE[M]", taken from [[Genesis 1]]:26 ("Let us make man in our image and likeness".
Below the creation of the animals is: "CRESCITE ٠ ET ٠ MVLTIPLICAM" ([[Genesis 1:22]]: "increase and multiply"); and below the creation of Eve is: "PER ٠ H[OMO] ٠ ADHEREB[IT] ٠ VXOR[I] ٠ SV[AE]" ("man embraces his wife").
On the outside of the right wing is: "NOE ٠ CUM ٠ PLATASSET ٠ VINE[A]M ٠ BIBENS ٠ DE ٠ VINO ٠ IN[E]BRIATUS" ([[Genesis 9]]:20-21 "When Noah drank some of its wine, he became drunk"); on the outside of the main body: "TRES ٠ VIDIT ٠ ET٠ VNVM ٠ ADORAVIT" ([[Genesis 18]]:2 "He sees three and worships one"); and on the outside of the left wing: "IN ٠ BACVLO ٠ MEO ٠ T[R]ANSIVI ٠ IORDANEM ٠ ET ٠ CUM ٠ TRIBUS ٠ TURMIS ٠ REFERT" ([[Genesis 32]]:10: "I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.")

Further inscriptions on the triptych sculpture inside the ''corpus'' are revealed by opening the doors. On the right wing: "TVAM IPSIVS A[N]I[M]AM PERTRANSIET"" ([[Luke 2]]:35: "your own soul will be pierced"); on the cenral piece: "VIDEANTES STELLAM MAGI" ([[Matthew 2:10]]: "Seeing the star, the wise men"); and on the left wing: "ET TV BETHLE[H]E[M] IVDA / NICLAES" ([[Matthew 2:6]]: "And you Bethlehem in the land of Judah / Nicholas"). It has been suggested that the inclusion of St Nicholas and the name "Niclaes" may indicate the first name of the person who commissioned the altarpiece.

It was created in the Netherlands in the early 16th century, and intended for personal devotional use by a wealthy collector. It was acquired by [[Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet|Sir Richard Wallace]] from the art dealer [[Charles Mannheim]] in Paris in October 1871.

A similar but less ornate boxwood triptych is held by the [[Rijksmuseum]] in Amsterdam. Others are held by the [[Statens Museum for Kunst]] in Copenhagen, the [[Louvre]] in Paris, and the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]; an unusual example with Renaissance and Italianate elements is held by the [[British Museum]].

<gallery>
File:OA 5612 boxwood Louvre.jpg|Altarpiece in the Louvre
File:Boxwood altarpiece, 1511.jpg|[[Boxwood Altar (WB.232)|Boxwood Altar]] in the British Museum
File:Miniature Altarpiece with the Crucifixion.jpg|''[[Miniature Altarpiece with the Crucifixion]]'', The Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art
</gallery>

==References==
* [https://ift.tt/2WdU0Xm Miniature Triptych], Wallace Collection
* [https://ift.tt/2oklG04 The Adoration of the Magi], Wallace Collection
* [https://ift.tt/2WdU1uo December Treasure of the Month: Miniature Triptych, Adam Dircksz and Workshop, c. 1500-30], Wallace Collection
* [https://ift.tt/2PgWoeg Triptych, Adam Dircksz (workshop of), c. 1500 - c. 1530], Rijksmuseum
* [https://ift.tt/2BK9kBe Miniature altar-piece], British Museum
* [https://ift.tt/32JyQT7 Adoration of the Magi], The Boxwood Project, Art Gallery of Ontario

[[Category:Wallace Collection]]
[[Category:Decorative arts]]
[[Category:Gothic boxwood miniature]]
[[Category:Medieval European sculptures]]
[[Category:16th-century sculptures]]


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