The feast of the Epiphany officially closes the Christmas season in the Christian tradition. This celebration of the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles and the visit of the Magi to the Baby Jesus has often been represented by painters. In previous posts we looked at works by famous artists showing the Adoration of the Magi, three scholars who followed the eastern star to carry their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Baby Jesus.
This year's post looks at the "Adoration of the Magi" triptych by Hieronymus Bosch. Preserved at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, this triptych on a wood panel was executed around 1485-1500.
The left panel depicts St. Peter and one donor (probably Peter Bronckhorst), while in the background, a man - probably St. Joseph heating Jesus' clothes - sits on a basket under a makeshift roof. In the right panel there is instead St. Agnes with another donor (Agnes Bosshuysse).
There are classic Bosch-like sinister scenes scattered around the triptych, including a bear and wolf attacking some people, boisterous peasants crawling the hut, armies running in the background and the quasi-anthropomorphic constructions.
The central panel shows the Adoration of the Magi with Mary occupying most of the space with a monumental pose and the Child held at her womb. Melchior, the eldest of the Magi, is kneeling at her feet, offering a golden sculpture with the Sacrifice of Isaac hinting at Jesus' Passion.
Caspar stands to the rear, bringing incense on a vessel, and wearing a cape with Old Testament episodes representing the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon. Balthazar wears extraordinary white garments decorated by an embroidery resembling thorny leaves and monsters (probably elements referring to the pagan past of the Magi) and brings a sphere with reliefs depicting the Offer of Water to King David, and containing myrrh.
The partially naked figure at the hut's entrance, surrounded by other grotesque ones and characterised by a red robe, a tiara with metallic twigs in the hand, and a transparent glass cylinder covering a sore on his ankle as if it were a relic, remains a mysterious and inscrutable presence. These grotesque figures have been identified as Herod and his spies, the Antichrist and his counsellors and therefore symbols of heresy, or as the Judaic messiah that, struck by a leper, turned, into the Antichrist.
There are some great fashion and architecture inspirations in the triptych, from the shape of the panels forming the artwork and the representation of Bethlehem in the background as an entirely imaginary place, to the Magi wearing opulent gowns with fine and intricate details. The colours of the triptych are also intriguing, in particular the ochre, vermilion, carmine and azurite employed by Bosch and the natural ultramarine used in small quantities in the Virgin's robe.
One interesting thing is the fact that, when the triptych shuts, it shows a grisaille painting, depicting the Mass of Saint Gregory with Gregory the Great kneeling at an altar in front of Christ surrounded by an arch with flying angels (the two characters in colour are a later addition, and they represent the painting's donors). The frame contains scenes of the Life of Jesus: from the lower left, the Prayer in the Garden, The Arrest, Christ in Front of Pilatus, the Flagellation, the Coronation of Thorns, the Via Crucis and, finally, the Crucifixion. This is very symbolical also because, during the Epiphany mass, the date for Easter is usually announced.
In Italian folklore the Befana, an old woman, brings on the night of 5th January a sock full of sweets, candies, fruit or toys to good kids and a sock filled with coal (but coal is usually made with sugar...) for those who have been bad (in Rome the Befana is a famous tradition). Up until a few decades ago quite a few magazines suggested how to make your Epiphany sock at home.
While now you can find better suggestions all over the Internet, for all vintage lovers we are posting here a spread from the January 1960 issue of Annabella, explaining how to use felt or gauze-like tulle to make your stocking. Have an art and craft Epiphany!
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