Pieter Bruegel the Elder (ca 1525-1569), Adoration of the Kings, 1564, oil on oak, 111 x 83 cm.
Aanbidding der Wijzen.

National Gallery, London

Bruegel painted the well known religious theme, The Adoration of the Kings, in a strange and “unfamiliar” way. Mary is depicted sitting in the center of the picture, holding the Christ child on her lap. She is a beautiful young lady but she hardly fulfills the traditional Madonna ideal. The Christ child seems to be pulling back in fear and distrust. The sacredness of the event has also been jeopardized by the unusual portrayal of Joseph. Instead of giving himself over completely to the holy event, he is leaning towards an unknown peasant, so that the latter may whisper something in his ear.

This casual and very humane portrayal of the Holy Family distracts the spectator of the painting but also makes him more attentive. The beauty of this painting consists of the fact that its unfamiliarity offers the spectator the opportunity to look at a religious theme with a fresh eye. In other words it offers him the opportunity to rediscover sacredness. Mary’s right hand is wide open. Her gesture is all encompassing. There are no moralistic statements in the painting. All value judgments are left to the spectator. (Source: artjuice.worldpress.com)