The Adoration of the Magi 1598

Jan Muller’s “The Adoration of the Magi” is an engraving made around the turn of the 17th century. Muller lived in a time of religious upheaval in Northern Europe, as the Reformation challenged the Catholic Church's dominance. The print illustrates the biblical scene where the three wise men, or Magi, visit the infant Jesus bearing gifts. Muller renders the scene with a keen attention to detail, reflecting both the opulence and the spiritual solemnity of the event. What strikes me most is the gaze of the figures. There is a clear hierarchy of devotion in the way they interact with the Christ child, and the composition directs our eye to follow this emotional path. Muller, working in the Mannerist style, complicates the traditional narrative. The cultural identities of the Magi are emphasized through their varied attire and physiognomy, and their gifts reference the complex networks of trade and exchange operating at the time. “The Adoration of the Magi” thus becomes a stage for exploring questions of power, faith, and cultural encounter. It invites us to reflect on how we, too, approach moments of reverence.