Adoration of the Magi after 1850

Christian Becker rendered this Adoration of the Magi using watercolor on paper. Observe how Becker has staged the Nativity amidst crumbling ruins; a juxtaposition that carries profound symbolism. The dilapidated architecture speaks to the decline of the old pagan order, soon to be supplanted by the arrival of the Christ child. The presence of the Magi, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, highlights the recognition of Christ's divinity and kingship by the world beyond Judea. The gesture of kneeling, seen here in the adoring king, is a potent symbol found throughout art history—from ancient Egyptian depictions of pharaohs before deities, to the supplication of medieval saints. It transcends mere physical posture, evolving into a visual shorthand for reverence, humility, and the acknowledgement of higher powers. Like a recurring dream, this motif resurfaces across cultures, reminding us of humanity's enduring search for meaning and connection to the divine. It embodies a deep-seated psychological need to defer to something greater than ourselves. Symbols such as these are vessels of memory, continuously reinterpreted across time.