Geborduurd werk met de voorstelling van de aanbidding door de Wijzen before 1889

This anonymous embroidery depicts the Adoration of the Magi. The image shows the three kings offering gifts to the infant Jesus, a common subject in Christian art which speaks to the expansion of Christianity. The original embroidery was made in the fifteenth century. During this period, the church was the pre-eminent institution in Europe. Art served to communicate religious doctrine. This piece would have been commissioned by a wealthy patron as an expression of faith and status. The embroidery, probably part of a cope, visually reinforces the power of the church. The scene is rendered in rich detail which would have been appreciated by elite members of society. To gain a deeper understanding of this embroidery, archival records about religious patronage during the fifteenth century could be reviewed. Such research shows how art reflects cultural values.