{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O71871"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71871/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AL5919/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AL5919/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AL5919","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU2380","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV3189","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O71871/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O71871","accessionNumber":"643-1897","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"The Adoration of the Magi","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This relief shows the Adoration of the Magi. These are the three wise men or kings  who came to Bethlehem when Jesus was born. The  Virgin and Child are seated on a throne at the centre. The eldest king, Caspar, is kneeling, Melchior stands to the left, and the third wise man Balthasar, shown here as an African, stands to the right.  \r\nAlthough the sculpture is unmarked, we are sure that it was made in a workshop in Malines (Mechelen, Belgium) in the early 1500s. This is because certain features of this relief  match those of statuettes that we know were made in Malines. They included the distinctive faces, especially that of the Virgin, the type of base, the flattened relief and the multi-colour decoration. \r\nThis piece may have originally stood at the centre of a group of religious figures set in a framed garden. This type of tableau or group was known as a <i>hortus conclusus</i> or closed garden. It seems that these gardens were made only in Malines.They were popular in the Southern Netherlands in the late 1400s and and early 1500s, when this relief was made. They were particularly associated with convents and hospitals, where prayers were offered to the images of saints shown in the miniature gardens.","physicalDescription":"Group in carved oak, painted and gilt: the Adoration of the Magi; the Virgin is seated on a high-backed throne in the centre with two of the Magi on her right and the third, Melchior, and St. Joseph on her left.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oak","id":"AAT12264"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved, painted and gilded oak","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Black History","id":"THES48989"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AL5919","2017JU2380","2017JV3189"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES395105"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette the Adoration of the Magi","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mechelen","id":"x29417"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1500-1520","earliest":"1495-01-01","latest":"1520-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"31.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"29","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought for £7 9s.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Relief, The Adoration of the Magi, carved, painted and gilded oak, Mechelen (South Netherlands), ca. 1500-1520 ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, Paul, Netherlandish Sculpture 1450-1550, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002. 160p., ill. ISBN 1851773738."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>List of Objects in the Art Division South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1897. Arranged according to the dates of acquisition, with appendix and indices.</u> London: Her Majesty's Stationary Office. Wyman and Sons. 1901. pp. 89"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Derveaux- van Ussel, G. <u> Le retable malinois de l'église d'Odeby.</u> Brussels. 1973. pp. 85. fig. 59."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Derveaux- van Ussel, G. 'Eeen mechels Aanbiddings- retabel in het Snermondt- Museum te Aken' in <u>Aachener Kunsbblätter.</u> XLIV. 1973. pp. 240. fig. 11."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Mary (Virgin Mary)","id":"N480"},{"text":"Jesus Christ","id":"N1515"},{"text":"Joseph (of Nazareth, Saint)","id":"N614"},{"text":"Baltasar (King)","id":"N1614"},{"text":"Caspar (King)","id":"N1615"},{"text":"Melchior (King)","id":"N1616"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"Adoration of the Magi","id":"V132"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"hat","id":"AAT46106"},{"text":"throne","id":"AAT38141"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Christianity","id":"AAT73711"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["643-1897"],"accessionNumberNum":"643","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1897,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-12","recordCreationDate":"2002-12-11","availableToBook":true}}